Category: Education

Mr Jonathan Korsinah, the Nkwanta South Municipal Education Director, has appealed to the government and the Interior Ministry, to review the curfew imposed on the Nkwanta township because of the recent tribal conflict. This, he said, would help students and teachers to recover the lost periods due to the conflict. Mr Korsinah noted that the conflict had affected education in the area, as schools which were once vibrant centers of knowledge currently faced the brunt of instability. The Education Director stressed the need for a review of curfew hours to enable students and teachers to return to school. Some schools in the Nkwanta South township and other adjoining communities, had been closed since November 2023 due to an inter-tribal conflict resulting in the death of over 13 people, with many properties destroyed. During a peace march organised by Mr Jonathan Korsinah, parents were implored to encourage their children to return to school. Also, Pre-Tertiary Students have also petitioned the Nkwanta S outh Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) for maximum protection for both teachers and students during and after school hours. Mr Bright K. Lenwah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), for Nkwanta South after receiving the petitions from both students and the Education Directorate, thanked them for their efforts in restoring peace in the area. He noted that steps were being taken to review the curfew in the area, urging the various ethnic groups to engage their youth within their communities to lay down their arms. Source: Ghana News Agency KATIMA MULILO: The MTC-Kilimanjaro Boxing Club launched a school boxing development programme in Katima Mulilo on Monday, which will be active in seven regions across the country. Learners at Namalubi Combined School and Bukalo Primary School were introduced to the fundamentals of boxing on the first day of the programme, which is expected to visit more schools before progressing to Kavango West, Kavango East, and the remaining regions. Club founder Joseph Benhard explained that the programme's objective is to bring boxing to remote parts of the country while scouting for new talent. 'Our ultimate goal is to scout raw talent with the introduction of the sport in these remote areas,' he said. Benhard said the programme will conclude in August, culminating in a special event hosted in the Oshana Region with selected learners from all seven regions participating. Mutimani Albius Alfes, the principal of Namalubi school, expressed gratitude and highlighted the significance of sport. He said boxing can create opportunities for learners. 'Boxing is one of the sports that can create opportunities for the learners as not all of them will make it in their education, and when the opportunity comes, they can make a living through boxing,' he remarked. Alfes urged the club to not just showcase their offerings but to actively engage in training learners from a young age, fostering talent development. Moowa Richard, a teacher at Bukalo Primary School, shared the sentiment that boxing is a valuable sport, not only locally, but also internationally. He however said it is neglected in rural areas and emphasised the need for a diverse range of sports selections in these areas. Richard said learners in rural areas often only have access to football and netball, making the boxing programme a significant opportunity for them. Source: The Namibia Press Agency

The Dagliga Primary School in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region has been renovated following the Ghana News Agency's (GNA) report on the deplorable state of the school. The school had its painting, windows, doors, and parts of chalk board removed with visible cracks on its walls and has now been renovated and reconnected to the national grid. The renovation of the school was done by the Nabdam District Assembly under the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) project. Under the project, the Assembly has started construction of roads linking communities such as Logre and Zanlerigu, among others, to the school and other surrounding schools. It would be recalled that on February 15, 2023, GNA carried a report about the deplorable state of the school that posed threat to teachers and students and drawing back academic activities. Also on March 9, 2023, GNA also reported on how illegal miners destroyed the only football field of the Dagliga cluster of schools and major footpaths to the schools. Mr Roger Atidoor, Headteacher of the school when contacted, expressed gratitude to the Assembly and managers of the SOCO project, and commended GNA for the reportage that led to the renovation of the school. 'I should be the happiest person today, and this has come through the efforts of GNA. How your story was captured and caught the attention of everyone is what has resulted in what we are seeing today, and so we are grateful to you for the impactful reports,' he added. Mr Atidoor emphasized that the Nabdam District Assembly, as implementers of the SOCO project, had done very well and deserved commendation. 'I must thank Madam Agnes Anamoo, the District Chief Executive, who is a mother and will continue to be so, for her effort in getting the school renovated. Before the renovation, I believe she might have been fed up with me because there was no single day, I would not call her and sometimes go to her office,' he noted. The Headteacher, however, appealed for a kitchen structure to facili tate the cooking of meals for the students as the existing mud structure, which was near collapse, was demolished to pave way for the road's construction. He called on the people of the Dagliga community to guard against the destruction of any property of the school to ensure its full utilization by the students. Mr Maxwell Divom, the Assemblyman of the Zanlerigu Dagliga Electoral Area, said the renovation of the school had brought relief to students and teachers and would help improve academic activities. 'Due to the deplorable nature of the place, it became a habitat for reptiles, making it inconducive for academic work, and so, with this renovation, it has brought great relief to us. 'I must thank the GNA for your effort because, through your report, Lively Minds, which is an NGO, also expressed interest in renovating the school, but plans were far advanced by the Assembly to renovate the school, and so as a community, we are very grateful to you (GNA), the Nabdam District Assembly and the government, for the gesture,' he added. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Campaign Against Privatisation and Commercialization of Education (CAPCOE) has called for the alignment of Ghana's education system with the economic needs of the country. Mr Richard Kovey, the convener of CAPCOE, stated in an interview with the Ghana News Agency that it was critical that the educational system become directly responsive to Ghana's economic development. Mr Kovey said the need to have a curriculum that largely supported skills training rather than theory could not be overemphasised, indicating that that was the only way to add the needed value to the country's natural resources. He stressed that, just like in other countries, such as China, having skilled training would lead to the nurturing of inventors and problem solvers, not just academic scholars. He said it was not enough to train and examine students only theoretically; rather, the inclusion of practical projects to evaluate their creativity and innovation was very important. He raised concerns about the education system's ina bility to guide and redirect children's energy towards positive ventures during their formative years.? He noted that such an approach would replace the popular 'chew and pour' learning system and encourage a hands-on, practical approach to learning. The CAPCOE convener said the theoretical assessment of students had led to students relying on cheating with others, thinking they had the right to practice examination malpractices. He lamented that the situation was so worrying that students were even provided with past questions to study in a bid to pass examinations while they graduated and became 'wait-for-instructions employees.' Mr Kovey attributed the focus on theory teaching to inadequate funding for tools and equipment for practical teaching, resulting in graduates possessing theoretical knowledge but lacking practical skills. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Bawku West District in the Upper East Region has recorded a decline in teenage pregnancy from 32 to eight between 2022 and 2023. In 2018, the district recorded five teenage pregnancies, which increased to 14 in 2019, while 2020 and 2021 both recorded 30 teenage pregnancies. The number increased to 32 in 2022 and dropped drastically to eight in 2023. Madam Grace Ayendago, the Girl Child Coordinator for the District, disclosed the figures to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in a sideline interview at a programme organized by the Haven of Love Children Foundation to present sanitary pads to pupils within the Teshie Circuit in the District. She attributed the reduction to the Foundation's sexual and reproductive health education, and mentorship programmes in basic schools to educate pupils on the effects of teenage pregnancy and the need for them to concentrate on their studies in school. The Haven of Love Children Foundation is a Non-Governmental Christian organization which had over the years organized edu cative programmes across the district including a five-day intensive mentorship programme for 5,000 pupils and their parents. According to Madam Ayendago, 'The number was increasing, but because Haven of Love Children Foundation engaged the adolescents, we have seen that the number has started decreasing, especially in communities that the Foundation worked in. In fact, their work is yielding results.' She said several factors including mining activities in the district contributed to teenage pregnancy in communities, 'Most of the teenage girls go to these mining sites, and girls who visit the sites come with pregnancies. 'That is what is happening in communities such as Teshie, Winaba, Kusanaba, Zongoyire and Binaba. We have mining activities there, and that is what is contributing to the teenage pregnancy,' the coordinator said. She observed that some of the teenagers, especially those in the mining communities were not interested in education, 'If you visit the mining sites, you will find them there. 'They have mobile phones that they do not use to study, but rather watch irrelevant materials that will not benefit them,' Madam Ayendago added. The coordinator partly blamed parents for not paying critical attention to their teenage girls who were uninformed about their menstrual cycles and ended up with pregnancies. 'Some of the girls depend on wrong information from their friends about their menstrual cycles, and that is dangerous,' she said, and called on parents in the district to pay critical attention to the upbringing of their children. Mr Samuel Nana Bekai Djirackor, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Haven of Love Children Foundation, told the GNA that the Foundation loved and treasured children, and would continue to work in their interest. 'I am sure the five-day mentorship programme contributed to the success and decline in the number of teenage pregnancies in the district as indicated by the Girl Child Coordinator. By the grace of God, Haven of Love Children Foundation is doing a lot, and we thank all the people who continue to support us,' he said. Source: Ghana News Agency

The Duori Divisional Traditional Council in the Upper West Region has congratulated Professor Emmanuel K. Deribile on his new position as the acting Vice Chancellor of the SD Dombo University for Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS). The university authorities elevated Prof Deribile, after serving as a teaching assistant and Pro-Vice chancellor. A statement issued and signed by Mohammed Dombo the Registrar of the Council and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani on Monday said the 'Duori Chief, Naa Tikang Deidong Dombo III, and the entire people of Duori wish you well'. 'Congratulations, Prof Deribile on your impressive journey from a teaching assistant to the prestigious position of Pro-vice chancellor, and Acting Vice Chancellor of SDD-UBIDS. Your dedication and hard work have truly paid off, and it's inspiring to see your progression to the professorship position and leadership of the SDD-UBIDS', it stated. 'Your commitment to education and leadership has not gone unnoti ced, and it is clear that you are well-deserving of this accomplishment. As your Chief and leader of the Duori Divisional Traditional Area, I Naa Tikang Diedong Dombo III and on behalf of the people of Duori congratulate you'. 'Tenkpogre is proud of you, and we are solidly with you. Also, having been appointed as the acting Vice Chancellor, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to you on this well-deserved promotion. Your contributions to the academic community are invaluable, and I am confident that you will continue to excel in your new position', the statement indicated. Source: Ghana News Agency