|
Aliu saddened by girl-chid education
neglect
Tumu, (UWR), July 8, GNA- The Vice President, Alhaji Aliu
Mahama, on Saturday expressed concern about the neglect of
girl-child education in the Upper West, Upper East and
Northern regions (the three Northern Regions).
He noted that some parents, especially those in the rural
communities sent boys to school at the expense of girls, who
were at many instances given out for marriage at early ages.
Alhaji Mahama was speaking on the theme: "Ghana at 50:
Gender parity in education, the challenges in Northern
Ghana," at the 3rd Speech and Prize Giving Day of the Kanton
Secondary School in Tumu in the East Sissala District of the
Upper West.
He said the theme for the occasion was appropriate, as
mainstreaming gender issues had become the foundation for
the overall national development efforts.
Alhaji Mahama said some boys too suffered such neglect with
some of them being withdrawn from school to serve as farm
hands or shepherds.
Vice President Mahama noted that these developments had
cumulatively resulted in low educational development of
children in the three Northern Regions.
He said these also explained the high female illiteracy
rate, high dependency rate and high poverty levels which led
to the general underdevelopment of the Northern part of the
country in particular and the country as a whole.
Alhaji Mahama, who was special guest of honour, said this
situation had been of grave concerned to the Government and
urged the people to take advantage of the Government's
educational interventions such as the Capitation Grant and
the School Feeding Programme and send their children to
school.
The Vice President appealed to district assemblies and
community members to support non-governmental organisations
working in the area of education to promote girl-child
education, saying it was the collective responsibility of
all to ensure the development of the girl-child.
Alhaji Aliu Mahama urged students to remain disciplined at
all times and use appropriate methods to address their
grievances.
He also appealed to school authorities to open channels of
communication to enable students to express their views on
issues affecting their development to help minimise
confusion and strikes.
Alhaji Mahama said these would ensure the achievement of
higher academic laurels towards the attainment of sound
human resources base for the country.
He commended the school for achieving 100 per cent pass at
the Senior Secondary School Certification Examinations for
the past two years, rising from the 151st position in 2003
to 118th position, in 2005, according to the West African
Senior Secondary School Examinations rating.
Alhaji Mahama urged the school authorities and students to
continue working hard to improve upon their modest
achievements.
Mr. Ampafo Twumasi, Deputy Minister of Education, Youth and
Sports, called on parents to complement the efforts of
government and school authorities to enhance academic
performance.
He urged teachers to assist in ensuring a smooth
implementation of the New Educational Reforms, which would
start in September 1, this year.
Mr. Twumasi commended contractors working on the projects at
the Secondary School, which was a model school, but lamented
that some contractors had disappointed the Ministry in the
execution of projects.
Mr. Johnson Saborh Suglo, headmaster of Kanton Secondary
School, called on government to provide adequate
accommodation for the teaching staff and more classrooms for
students and a reliable means of transport.
GNA
|
