Agogo (Ash), Aug. 24, GNA – Adesua Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation, championing quality education in the Asante-Akim North District, has held a forum on how to keep students busy during the COVID-19 period.
The forum brought together key stakeholders in education including representatives from the Education Directorate, School Management Committees, Parent Teacher Associations, traditional authorities, teachers and parents.
The exercise formed part of the vision of Nana Adakabre Frimpong-Manso, the Executive Director of the Foundation, to promote quality education in the District following his installation as the Adesuahene of the Agogo Traditional Area.
In his welcome address, he said the coronavirus pandemic had widened the access gap between the rich and the poor following the closure of schools.
He said while the affluent could engage the services of teachers to teach their wards, the poor would be unable to do so for their children.
He said the Foundation, in collaboration with the Education Directorate, put together the forum to discuss strategies to reach out to all basic and second cycle students currently at home due to the pandemic.
“The extent to which the productivity and competitiveness of our country or district suffer because of learning loss will depend on how well we as stakeholders can continue educational activities during the pandemic,” he said.
He, therefore, called on the participants to come out with effective strategies to engage students in the District.
Mr Jonas Adu, a Tutor at the Agogo Presbyterian College of Education, said the COVID-19 had affected education globally, but it was important to find innovative ways to teach students.
He said incomes of parents had reduced while the cost of living was rising due to the pandemic, but that should not be a justification to leave the children to their fate.
He called for support for parents during the COVID-19 era to care for their children to study since they spent more time with them.
The role of parents in the education of their children had doubled and that there was the need to empower them to guide their wards.
Mrs Mildred Ama Kwarkye Agyapong, the District Director of Education, applauded the Foundation for the laudable initiative and called on stakeholders to support it to achieve the desired goals.
GNA