By Godfred Aaneamenga Polkuu, GNA
Bolgatanga, Dec. 10, GNA – The Bolgatanga Municipal branch of the Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS), has appealed to government to consider providing one hot meal a day for Junior High School (JHS) pupils.
The Head teachers particularly advocated that the single intervention should be concentrated in mining and deprived communities to restore hope, increase enrolment and revive regular school attendance.
The Conference, through Mr Theophilus Akwara, the Municipal Chairman, who made the appeal at the fourth dinner night and send-off for retirees said, “Allow me to speak for the many young lives entrusted to our care.
“Poverty in some of our communities has become a silent enemy, one that pushes children into ‘galamsey’ not out of choice, but out of hunger,” he said.
According to the Chairman, some JHS pupils go to school on empty stomachs, “Some cannot even afford a single nutritious meal a day, and so they abandon school in search of daily bread.
“With the deepest respect, we make a passionate appeal to government: please consider providing one hot meal a day for JHS pupils, especially in mining and deprived communities,” he said.
The COHBS Chairman emphasized that, “Our children deserve this chance. They deserve to be fed.”
The Head teachers, from basic schools across the Municipality, appeared resplendent in their outfits and displayed their dance moves to different genres of music at the programme, which also acknowledged their colleagues who were reposted to the Municipal Education office.
Mr Akwara further used the occasion to express gratitude to members for their unanimous endorsement of him to Chair the COHBS for a second term saying, “I consider it a profound honour, and one I will never take for granted.
“With sincerity and humility, I pledge once again to work diligently, transparently and tirelessly for the good of each Head teacher. Your confidence in me fuels my resolve; your trust strengthens my spirit,” Mr Akwara said.
He acknowledged the cordial relationship between leadership of the COHBS and management of the Municipal Education Directorate and gave the assurance that COHBS would continue to collaborate with the Directorate to improve quality basic education.
Mr Abdul-Wahab Adam Hamid, the Regional Chairman of the COHBS, in a fraternal message, said the dedication and professionalism of members in the Municipality continued to uplift the standards of education across the Municipality.
He encouraged members across the Region to continue to work diligently to improve quality basic education, stressing that COHBS exited to mould future leaders.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali /Kenneth Odeng Adade