‘All schools need girls’ clubs’
The Volta Regional Girls Education officer, Madam Christine Egbeadzor, has called on school authorities to encourage the formation of girls’ clubs in the various schools across the country.
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Addressing a durbar to mark the Fourth International Day of the Girl Child in Ho, Volta Region, she said, such clubs could serve as an innovative tool for promoting the retention and academic progress of girls in school.
She indicated that ‘education is very important for all children but the education of girls has a stronger impact on a nation’s development, especially in our communities or society today’, adding that, “girls’ clubs would impact positively on the psycho-social and economic lives of girls.”
Madam Egbeadzor stated that an assessment conducted on girls who belonged to girls’ clubs, particularly in the Adaklu District, had shown that, it had increased the understanding of girls to appreciate their personal development and uniqueness. They have role models, been exposed to career opportunities, set achievable goals, are punctual in school and abstain from premarital and unprotected sex.
Advice to school officials
She advised school officials to use such clubs to encourage girls to learn hard to enhance their academic performance, especially in Mathematics, Integrated Science and Information Communications Technology (ICT), which contributed greatly to the failure of most girls who wish to further their education.
The programme brought together teen girls and teachers from 41 schools in the region and was characterised by poetry display and drama, highlighting the need for parents to educate the girl child.
The regional Director of Education, Mr M.A.K Buadi, in his remarks, commended Ghanaians for the change of mindset towards the education of girls, observing that to a large extent, parents were willing to send their daughters to school though there was still room for improvement.
Parental irresponsibility
The headmistress of OLA Senior High School, Mrs Benedicta Afesi, called on parents to be responsible, adding that it was the irresponsibility on the part of most parents that led to deviant behaviour of children.
She tasked parents to see the education of their children, especially girls, as a major priority for the development of the society and the nation at large.