Bermuda College set to introduce Ashay programme
Bermuda College is set to introduce a new programme offering culturally relevant classes for young people, parents and adults.
Ashay at Bermuda College will include classes for young people aged five to 16, their parents and adults seeking empowering knowledge omitted from their educational experiences.
An Ashay Club will also be offered to interested students, extending the academic learning opportunity for young people attending Bermuda College.
The initiative is a partnership between Bermuda College and Ashay Programmes International and will begin in September.
Discussions between Bermuda College President Dr David Sam and Ashay Programmes International founder Mwalimu Melodye Mĩcere Van Putten began following an opinion piece by Dr Sam published in April 2026.
In the article, Dr Sam called on the wider community – including schools, churches, community groups and employers – to take an active role in nurturing Bermuda’s young people towards leadership and empowered lives.
He wrote: “Education changes the direction of lives. It opens doors to employment, confidence, independence and service. It gives young people the tools to adapt in a changing world...”
The article caught the attention of Mwalimu Van Putten, an Africalogist and creator of the Ashay Programme. Both she and Dr Sam are veteran educators.
Previously implemented in Bermuda’s middle schools, Ashay was designed to teach history from an African-centred perspective.
The programme has a Pan-African scope and aims to provide what Mwalimu Van Putten describes as “cultural grounding”.
The Ashay Programme is now 40 years old. Ashay Clubs currently operate in Bermuda; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Kumasi, Ghana.
Ashay Clubs Ghana has upwards of 1,000 members and operates in schools and the community.
The Rev Sister Grace Nuamah, Principal of Atasemanso Primary School in Ghana, said: “By helping us establish the Ashay Clubs at our school, you have provided our students with the tools for self-knowledge, pride, and self-determination.
“You have not only brought a program; you have brought a renewed sense of identity and excellence to our halls.”
Research has also examined the academic impact of culturally relevant education.
A study published in the American Educational Research Journal found that expanding ethnic studies courses across an entire school district could significantly improve academic performance.
According to a May 2026 report by The Philadelphia Tribune, the study analysed more than a decade of data involving more than 24,000 students in the San Francisco Unified School District.
Researchers found that students who took ethnic studies courses earned higher grade point averages and were less likely to fail classes.
For more information about Ashay at Bermuda College or to register, email Mwalimu Van Putten at