By Solomon Gumah
Tamale, May 28, GNA – A project meant to promote girls’ education through the establishment of enhanced adaptability and serene atmosphere for learning for pupils of Nanton D/A Girls Model Junior High School in the Northern Region has been launched.
The one-year project, which adopts UNICEF’s Safe Schools Model, seeks to enhance the learning environment by providing classroom furniture to improve the comfort and safety of girls at the school.
Dubbed: “Empower Her – Empowering Girls through Education, Vocational Skills and Sustainable Resources”, the initiative is being implemented by the Learners Girls Foundation, an NGO, with funding support from the KGL Foundation.
The launch attracted key stakeholders in the education sector including representatives from civil society organisations and the beneficiary school.
Beyond infrastructure improvement, the project will be incorporating a mentorship programme with workshops to guide students on entrepreneurship, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), and career development as well as expose students to problem-solving, creativity, and business management skills.
Miss Azara Sulemana, Project Lead of the Empower Her project at the Learners Girls Foundation, speaking during the launch in Tamale, said the project would involve community engagements to raise awareness and promote both enrollment and retention of girls in school.
She said “Through classroom workshops and stakeholder engagement, the project seeks to increase girls’ enrollment and retention rates while preparing their mindsets for career development and entrepreneurship. This will contribute to academic success and help reduce unemployment and poverty in communities.”
She expressed optimism that by the end of the project, girls’ enrollment and retention in the area would have increased by at least five per cent.
She also commended a group of six students, known as the Tahama Group, who are currently pursuing master’s degree programmes at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, saying their academic project in the school, led to the identification of the school as a beneficiary.
Miss Faizatu Sualihu of the Girls Advocacy Network spoke on the role of community stakeholders in supporting girls’ education and career development.
She emphasised the need to dismantle cultural barriers that hindered girls’ empowerment.
She said, “Supporting girls’ education is not just about advancing girls’ rights, it is the smartest investment in the overall development of our communities.”
She called on stakeholders in the Nanton District to collaborate and pool their resources to enhance girls’ education in the area.
Mrs Janet Adua, Nanton District Director of the Ghana Education Service, commended the Learners Girls Foundation and its partners for selecting the Nanton D/A Model Junior High School for the project.
She pledged full support of the district towards its successful implementation.
Some of the learners at the beneficiary school, who attended the launch, expressed enthusiasm and a willingness to cooperate with school authorities to maximise the opportunities offered by the initiative.
GNA
Edited by EA/Kenneth Odeng Adade