By Caleb Kuleke
Ho, April 27, GNA- The Volta Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service with support from Plan International Ghana’s Southern Programme Influencing and Impact Area (SPIIA) has implemented a six-month role model outreach programme in the Volta Region.
The programme was carried out in 36 Plan partner communities within Hohoe municipality, Afadzato South, and South Tongu districts to encourage children in these areas to aspire for greater heights.
Its objectives were to bring role models to engage with and share their stories with students to inspire them, sensitise girls to overcome barriers they face in education as well as train School-Based Facilitators (SBFs) to strengthen school clubs and to empower them to help sustain the role model programme.
The programme ran from October 20, 2023, to March 20, 2024, and the participants were upper primary and junior high school students, teachers, parents, members of school management committee, Parent-Teacher Associations, and community leaders.
Mr Francis Yaw Agbemadi, Volta Regional Director of Education, in acknowledging the importance of the programme in transforming the lives of the beneficiaries, stated that “if preparation meets opportunity, success is inevitable.”
He thanked Plan International Ghana for the initiative and advised students to work hard and be resilient to seize each small opportunity that might present itself.
Madam Millicent Dakeh, Volta Regional Girls’ Education Officer, said the programme aimed to provide the pupils with positive role models who could motivate them to achieve their objectives.
She said the programme served as a bridge to connect young minds with inspiring individuals, who could shape their aspirations, ignite their curiosity, and help them build a brighter future for themselves.
The Girls’ Officer noted that for many children, having someone to look up to is an essential part of how they can deal with certain situations, including behaviour at school and home.
Madam Dakeh noted that the selected individual role models embodied success, resilience, and determination and their journeys inspired students to dream bigger, reach higher, and believe in their own potentials.
She said that by hearing the role models talk about their failures, setbacks, and moments of doubt, it would empower the students to accept who they were, learn from their mistakes and persevere.
Mr Alfred Dzikunu, Programmes Coordinator at Plan International Ghana’s Southern Programme Influencing and Impact Area, emphasised the programme’s significance in helping beneficiaries gain confidence and make wise decisions.
He said young learners, particularly the girls living in the most impoverished areas, hardly get access to role models to model their lives and to guide them.
Mr Dzikunu advised parents to prioritise their children’s education and provide a suitable learning environment for them to learn so they could attain greater heights in life.
A range of role models, including former and current directors of education, a retired midwife, a physician assistant, nurses, a retired director of environmental health, an electrical engineer and student nurses, were chosen from the communities so that the students could relate to the life stories.
Some of the beneficiary students thanked the organisation for the programme, stating that it had increased their capacity and confidence level to be a true version of themselves.
Josephine Apaw, a pupil at Alavanyo Abehenease M/A Basic School, said the programme had motivated her to study hard to achieve her dreams of becoming a nurse.
Perfect Gidi from Fodome Woe Agbetsido M/A Basic School was excited about being part of the programme, which she described as very educative and inspiring.
“I have learnt that we should not be in a hurry in life to acquire or achieve certain things. Also, we must take our time in life so that whatever we need would be provided for us at the right time by our parents,” she said.
Parents and other community members who also took part in the programme were pleased and expressed their gratitude to GES and Plan International Ghana for the initiative.
GNA