By Ibrahim Nurudeen
Savelugu (N/R), Dec. 4, GNA – A total of 17,340 out-of-school children in the five regions of the north have transitioned to the formal school system after benefiting from Alternative Learning Programme (ALP).
The ALP afforded these out-of-school children, who were beyond school starting age (eight to 16), the opportunity to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills within a period of six months in their mother-tongues to facilitate their enrolment into the formal school system in the next academic year (2023/2024).
It formed part of the Ghana Education Outcome Project (GEOP) being implemented by the Ministry of Education (MoE), in partnership with some non-governmental organisations, including School for Life and Plan International Ghana with funding support from the World Bank, Foreign, Commonwealth Development Office and other stakeholders.
The MoE designed the project, among others, to support out-of-school children in districts, which have the highest number of out-of-school children to transition into mainstream primary education and improve learning in mainstream schools, targeting literacy and numeracy improvements at the end of primary grades two and four.
Hajia Nana Fatima High, the National Coordinator, GEOP, at a durbar to observe the transitioning of the learners to the formal school system at the Savelugu M/A Experimental Primary School in the Savelugu Municipality of the Northern Region, said the initiative was in line with the government’s desire to take children off the streets and provide means of livelihood for them.
She commended the implementing NGOs for excellently delivering the project, saying the NGOs, as part of the contractual agreement, would support the learners with teaching and learning materials and other innovative ideas to ensure that they stayed in school.
She added that “As a means to ensure continuity and sustenance, the Ministry has decided to contribute two school uniforms to each of the 17,340 learners.”
Hajia Katumi Nantogma Attah, the Northern Regional Director of Education, described the project as a beacon of hope, providing a unique and accelerated path to education for learners who, for various reasons, found themselves outside the formal schooling system.
She said the transitioning of the learners to the formal school system signified not only their academic achievement but also the government’s commitment to leaving no one behind in the pursuit of knowledge.
She said the project had significantly curtailed rural-urban migration, particularly among vulnerable girls, contributing to the socio-economic development of communities.
Mrs Maamle Andrews, the Chief Director, MoE said the project would go a long way to positively change the attitudes of children towards education and gave assurance of the commitment of the Ministry to creating inclusive and conducive learning environment in the country.
Mr Alhassan Abdul Manaf, Project Manager, GEOP, School for Life, was confident that the project would ensure significant improvement in the lives of children in the regions.
Meanwhile, the management of GEOP had distributed school bags and learning materials to the transitioned learners at the durbar.
GNA