By Albert Futukpor, GNA
Tinguri (NE/R), June 24, GNA – Plan International Ghana, an international NGO, has commemorated this year’s African Union Day of the African Child with some pupils and students in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region.
The commemoration reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that every child has access to quality education in the country.
At the event held at the Tinguri school park, pupils and students recited poems and performed a drama on the importance of education.
Mr Constant Tchona, Country Director, Plan International Ghana, who expressed the commitment in a speech read on his behalf during the event, recounted strides made by the organisation through its various initiatives over the years around education.
He said, “Over the years, we have implemented impactful projects like the REACH Project, which successfully mobilised over 100,000 children back to school.”
“Our efforts did not stop there. We embraced the Complementary Basic Education Concept, which evolved into the REACH initiative and now flourishes under the Education Outcomes Fund Project.”
He said Plan International Ghana also supported projects like Ghana Learning TV, a project that helped the Ministry of Education (MoE) and Ghana Education Service in broadcasting television lessons through the Ghana Leaning TV channel (created by GTV) as part of the MoE’s distance learning education programme to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and school closures on children.
This year’s AU Day of the African Child was on the theme: “Education for All Children in Ghana: Improving Access for All,” which resonated with the urgent need to address the barriers to education that countless African children faced.
Education is not only a fundamental right for all children but also one of the wisest investments any society can make for many children around the world, the cost of schooling remains one of the most significant barriers to education.
Mr Tchona said “Our work extends beyond bringing children back to school. We have been actively sensitising communities to build the capacity of children and empowered them to become active participants in their own protection. At the community level, we support education interventions such as building schools, providing school supplies, furniture, and books.”
He expressed the commitment of the organisation to enhancing the quality of education by supporting the training of teachers and ensuring that they were well-equipped to nurture the minds of children.
He touched on the Free Senior High School initiative saying, “Ghana has made great strides in providing Free Senior High Education. However, it is very important for us to address the gaps that have been identified and address them holistically to ensure the effective implementation of the Free SHS Policy.”
He reiterated that it was time to break down the barriers that prevented children from accessing education.
“The time is now to invest in building resilient education systems that cater to the diverse needs of every child. The time is now to ensure that no child is left behind regardless of their socio-economic background, gender, or geographical location.”
Mr Elias Azure Abange, West Mamprusi Municipal Director of Education, advised children to avoid negative behaviours such as drug abuse and early sex to enable them to become responsible citizens.
He urged parents to prioritise the education of all their children, especially the girls, instead of sending only their boys to school.
Madam Rhoda Zakari, Girl-Child Education Officer, West Mamprusi Municipal Directorate of Education, advised children to appreciate what their parents did for them instead of forcing them to do things that they could not afford.
GNA