By Philip Tengzu
Zini (UW/R), Oct. 10, GNA – The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), has commissioned a renovated kindergarten (KG) block at Zini in the Sissala West District to help improve access to early childhood education in the area.
The child-friendly learning facility has been equipped with furniture and ancillary facilities, including washrooms, a kitchen and a mechanised borehole, and is fenced to enhance the safety of the children.
The intervention was under the UNITE Project jointly implemented by UNICEF and UNHCR in the Upper West and Upper East Regions, co-financed by the European Union (EU).
The project interventions were in the areas of education, health, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), child and social protection and the construction of 500 housing units in the two regions
Speaking at the event, Gisela Spreitzhofer, Head of the Governance and Security Section, EU Delegation in Ghana, expressed satisfaction with the project results and commended the community for its cooperation throughout the process.
She explained that “Zini has become a strong example of inclusion, solidarity, and resilience for families forced to flee conflict in Burkina Faso.
Ghana has a very progressive and inclusive approach to people fleeing insecurity in the central Sahel, while the Ghana Refugee Board has played a key role in helping translate this protection into reality.”
Ms. Spreitzhofer observed that the intervention was an investment in children, dignity, and the future of the community since the earliest years of learning shape a community’s future.
Dr. Peter Kwarteng, Chief of Field Office, UNICEF Tamale, said the project was designed to address the stress on social services in the host community caused by asylum seekers from the Sahel.
He explained that the renovated classrooms would provide an opportunity for the children of refugees and host communities to integrate, thereby promoting inclusion and peaceful coexistence.
“Every child has the right to realise their potential, irrespective of who they are, where they come from, and at what point in time we encounter them”, he said.
Dr. Kwarteng, however, emphasised the need for quality teaching, adequate learning materials, parental involvement and proper facility management to ensure the children benefit fully from the facility.
Kuoro Abu Diaka Sukabe Ninia V, the Paramount Chief of Zini Traditional Area, expressed gratitude to the development partners and government for the intervention in the community.
He maintained that it was an investment in the future of children in the community, saying, “We are building a very solid foundation for our children to dream.
The revered chief also called for sustained support to ensure that every child had access to safe, inclusive and conducive learning environments.
Kuoro Ninia pledged the community’s commitment to protecting and maintaining the facility, and encouraged parents, including refugee parents, to take an active interest in their children’s education.
Dr. Issahaque Munawaru, the Deputy Director-General in charge of Quality and Access, Ghana Education Service, who represented the Director-General of GES, indicated that access to quality basic education for all children was a constitutional requirement.
He said the intervention would help promote inclusive education in the community by ensuring that every child had the opportunity to learn regardless of their economic, social or cultural backgrounds.
The delegation also visited complementary education classes at the Tendeweri community (refugee camp) aimed at preparing the refugee children and some children of the host community to be integrated into the mainstream education system.
Other stakeholders at the commissioning were representatives of the UNHRC, the Ghana Refugee Board, Sissala West District Education Directorate and Assembly, among others.
GNA
Edited by Benjamin Mensah Reporter: Philip Tengzu, GNA
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]