By Albert Futukpor
Bognaayili (N/R), March 16, GNA – Mr Farouk Alhassan, the Project Officer at Right to Play, an international NGO, has advised parents to provide equal education opportunities for girls and boys, to attain their potentials.
At a forum at Bognaayili in the Kumbungu District to mark this year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) Mr Farouk Alhassan, also expressed need for inclusive education to ensure that all children, no matter their learning needs and abilities, would have access to quality basic education.
The forum, held on the theme: “Embracing Equity and Inclusive Education for all”, was attended by parents from the Bognaayili community, and all patrons and girls’ clubs’ members from basic schools in the Kumbungu District in the Northern Region where Right to Play is implementing its Partners in Play project.
The Partners in Play Project, funded by LEGO Foundation, is being implemented in 60 direct schools in Kumbungu, Savelugu and Tolon Districts, and seeks to empower children to become creative, engaged, and dedicated to life-long learning.
The participants are expected to replicate similar fora in their various communities to share the messages with their people.
The IWD is marked in March, every year, to amongst others recognise the socio-economic contribution of women to society as well as highlight their challenges for actions against gender inequality.
Mr Alhassan said every child was unique saying “Parents, caregivers and guardians should not extend the same treatment to their children as though they were all the same. They should be treated in an equitable manner; treating them according to their differentiated needs and demands such as reproductive health needs of girls (menstruation, body anatomy, hormonal changes) which differ from boys.”
He expressed need for Parent-Teacher Associations to step up their roles and duties by ensuring that classrooms and school environment were physically friendly, play-based sessions were inclusive and children felt safe adding “They can do this by committing resources and mobilising support from parents, teachers, and community leadership.”
Madam Mariama Sulemana, Kumbungu District Girls Education Coordinator urged parents to promote equality for both girls and boys in terms of household chores and education saying, “Build ideal homes, where boys should be able to do what the girls can do.”
She also expressed need for parents to encourage girls to venture into male-dominated fields to ensure job opportunities for them.
Some of the patrons urged parents to develop relations with their children to enable them to be willing to share their concerns with them instead of falling on peers for influences.
They also expressed need for parents to provide educational needs of their children and give them food when going to school.
Some of the parents lauded the forum saying it had enlightened them on how to guide their children especially girls to reach higher heights.
GNA