Boy child neglect in development policies dangerous — Rev. Prof. Agyapong-Kodua
The Vice-Chancellor of the Pentecost University, Reverend Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, has cautioned that neglecting the boy child in human development policies can have serious consequences for families, communities and national development.
He said many boys across the world were facing growing challenges, including identity crisis, emotional neglect, educational decline, substance abuse and lack of mentorship, stressing that urgent interventions were needed to address the situation.
“It is important to recognise that no nation can build strong families, safe communities and sustainable development while neglecting the proper formation of its boys.
As both a minister of the gospel and an academic, I strongly believe that investing in boys is not merely a social responsibility, but a moral, spiritual and national imperative,” he stated.
Rev. Prof. Agyapong-Kodua was speaking at the commemoration of the International Day for the Boy Child in Accra last Friday.
It was organised by the Schools Outreach Ministry (SOM) of the Church of Pentecost in collaboration with the Pentecost Men's Ministry (PEMEM) of the church and the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The event was on the theme, “Flourish & Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for stronger families and communities”, drawn from Psalm 144:12a.
Rev. Prof. Agyapong-Kodua said investing in the boy child was critical to building stable families and safer communities, and urged parents, teachers, churches and policymakers to intentionally invest in boys through mentorship, discipline, moral training and education.
The Vice-Chancellor also expressed concern about peer pressure, drug abuse and the negative influence of social media on young boys, urging educational institutions to shift focus from merely consuming technology to developing technological tools.
He encouraged teachers to identify the different learning abilities of boys and support them accordingly, while appealing to parents to spend more time with their sons and actively participate in their upbringing.
Simultaneous approach
The National Coordinator of the SOM, Frank Mensah Tandoh, stated that while efforts to empower the girl child must continue, greater attention must also be given to the welfare of boys, citing declining school enrolment, completion rates and learning outcomes among boys.
He stressed that society risked becoming imbalanced if the needs of boys were ignored, comparing it to an aeroplane that requires both wings to function equally to remain airborne.
Mr Tandoh said his outfit, in partnership with the GES, sought to raise healthy, disciplined and value-driven boys capable of building strong families and contributing meaningfully to national development.
“We hope that the intervention will produce a ripple effect that will culminate in policy changes,” he said.
“For the boy child listening to me, I want to assure you that you matter, and that choose to be strong on values, seek to walk right and live right, and endeavour to overcome all the challenges you meet,” Mr Tandoh entreated the boy child.
The Director of the Girls' Education Unit (GEU) at the GES, Gifty Asiedu, said educational vulnerability in the country and globally was becoming increasingly complex, with both boys and girls facing different challenges that required balanced and inclusive policy responses.
She stated that while girls still suffered barriers such as child marriage, teenage pregnancy and gender-based violence, growing concerns were also emerging over boys dropping out of school due to economic pressures, migration, mining and other risky activities.
In that regard, Ms Asiedu stressed that the GES was committed to building an education system that identified and supported every vulnerable learner through inclusive, gender-responsive and community-based interventions to ensure no child was left behind.
