Savelugu (N/R), Aug 22, GNA – Child Learning for Development, a community-based organisation in Tamale, has begun sensitising parents and caregivers on the importance of learning through play and the need to always provide gender-specific learning needs for their children.
In this quarter of the year, parents and caregivers of pupils in eight schools in various communities including Kanshegu, Gushe, Voggu and Wontugu in the Savelugu Municipality, Kumbungu and Tolon Districts will be reached as part of the sensitisation exercise.
Child Learning for Development is undertaking the exercise in partnership with Right To Play (RTP), a child-centred non-governmental organization, as part of its Partners in Play (P3) project being implemented in basic schools in seven assemblies including Savelugu Municipality, Kumbungu and Tolon Districts with funding from LEGO Foundation.
The P3 seeks to empower children to become creative, engaged and dedicated to life-long learning as well as improve the quality of education for girls and boys, aged six to 12 years, through playful learning.
Mr Alhassan Haruna, Executive Director of Child Learning for Development, who spoke during one of the sensitization exercises for parents and caregivers of pupils of Nyoglo Primary School in the Savelugu Municipality, said the exercise became necessary following observation that some children lacked basic learning needs.
Mr Haruna said, “We started this exercise last quarter of the year. We are doing this alongside conducting supplemental learning for children out-of-school. We are targeting children out-of-school in about 20 communities each in the Savelugu Municipality, Kumbungu and Tolon Districts.”
He added that “One thing we have observed is that most at times children do come around without eating to even observe this supplemental learning and others also complain that their basic needs such as learning materials such as pens, and books are not provided for them by parents.
“So, we take it upon ourselves with the collaboration with RTP to sensitise parents on these issues such that they will see the need to provide the basic learning needs for their wards at the community level.”
He appealed to parents to support the efforts of the organization to ensure that the supplemental learning and sensitisation exercise would be successful, saying “Because over the past quarter, we have done this in other communities and we have observed that some of the parents are changing.
It is our belief that as we keep on doing this in various communities, it will enlighten parents to realise the need to provide the basic learning needs for their children.”
Mr Zakaria Yussif, a Parent and Chairman of the School Management Committee at Nyoglo Primary School, lauded the exercise and urged parents to prioritise the education of their children by addressing their basic learning needs.
GNA