JA Ghana successfully delivered its March 2026 Teacher Training for the JA Company Program, equipping teachers from Senior High Schools across the country with the skills and tools to guide students in building and managing their own businesses.
The training brought together 36 teachers from 23 Senior high schools and was delivered through a series of interactive, two-day sessions designed to prepare educators for the upcoming implementation phase in their schools.
The JA Company Program is designed to give students practical entrepreneurial experience by allowing them to create and run real businesses.
To support this, the training focused on strengthening teachers’ ability to:
● Guide students through identifying real community problems
● Support idea development and innovation
● Facilitate hands-on, activity-based learning
● Prepare students for business development and competition
Teachers were encouraged to move beyond traditional teaching methods and instead act as facilitators and coaches, helping students think critically, collaborate, and take ownership of their ideas.
This year’s theme, “Augmenting Innovation,” challenges students to go beyond simply creating new ideas and instead focus on improving existing solutions.
Teachers were guided on how to support students in:
● Analysing current products and systems
● Identifying gaps and opportunities
● Designing solutions that are more efficient, accessible, or impactful
This approach is aimed at developing greater problem-solving skills and ensuring that student businesses are both relevant and scalable.
As part of the training, teachers were introduced to AI Prompt Engineering as a tool to support student learning and business development.
Rather than being treated as a standalone subject, AI is positioned as a support tool that students can use to:
● Explore and refine business ideas
● Conduct research
● Develop marketing strategies
● Strengthen financial thinking
A structured framework known as GRASP + Q was introduced to help teachers guide students in using AI effectively, ensuring that outputs are relevant, accurate, and aligned with their business goals.
Teachers also explored practical tools that students can use throughout the program, gaining hands-on experience in applying AI within real business scenarios.
The AI component of the training was supported by Emmanuel Otoo, a Ghanaian Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Engineer with GLG Insights UK, who contributed to both the development of the facilitator guide and the delivery of the sessions.
His work ensured that the AI workshop was practical, accessible, and directly relevant to the student business journey. Through hands-on facilitation, teachers gained confidence in using AI tools and guiding students to apply them effectively.
A key emphasis throughout the training was the importance of interactive, activity-based learning.
The Program Manager, Leslie Joppa, encouraged teachers to design sessions where students are actively engaged in brainstorming, discussing, testing ideas, and learning by doing. This approach ensures that students are not just learning concepts, but applying them in meaningful ways.
With the training completed, teachers will now begin implementing the program in their schools.
Students will go on to:
● Develop business ideas based on real-world challenges
● Build and manage student companies
● Apply tools and frameworks learned during the program
The journey will culminate in the National Business Pitch Competition (NBPC) later in the year, where student businesses will be evaluated, including recognition for innovative and effective use of tools such as AI.
JA Ghana extends its sincere appreciation to its partners, PMIEF and Peter Gbedemah, for supporting this year’s Company Program. This collaboration is helping to provide students with practical, future-focused learning experiences that prepare them to be job creators.