NCCE EDUCATES ON GIRL CHILD EDUCATION

The Weija-Gbawe Municipal Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), as part of its series of Television Programmes, engaged the Civic Education Clubs members to educate the public on 7DSTV on the topic “Girl Child Education”

This programme took place at the 7DSTV studio at the Sabbath City in Accra and the same programme was repeated on December 11, 2023, on the same television station.

Ms Francisca Abrefa Gyan, the Ghana Education Service Coordinator for Girl Child Education at Weija-Gbawe Municipal Office indicated that parents do not have any excuse to deny their daughters education. She said the burden of cost has been lifted from parents and guardians from Junior High School to Senior High School.

Efua Ohenewaa Keelson, a student from Weija Methodist “1” Basic School indicated that the Girl Child faces several barriers in their education journey. She enumerated that poor parental upbringing, poverty, influence from bad friends, and bad cultural practices such as early forced marriage and prioritizing Boy Child Education over Girl Child Education among others. Efua urged parents that to have a complete and functioning society, more attention should be given to the girls because aside from other challenges such as menstruating, the girls are vulnerable when it comes to teenage pregnancy and these can hinder the Girl Child from education and its successes.

Portia Awusie, a student of Gbawe Methodist “3” Basic School outlined the benefits of educating the Girl Child. According to her, some of the benefits include the ability to read, comprehend, and analyze issues with a conviction, it enhances their educational qualification to be gainfully employed, and it also helps them when they grow as mothers, they can properly raise their children rightly. Portia appealed to the government to formulate policies that would favor Girl Child Education.

Madam Francisca Abrefa Gyan concluded as she emphasized that the issue of Girl Child Education is two-way traffic and that while the government is doing its best with educational policies, parents and guardians should also play their role so that children can be given the needed support.

In conclusion, the programme has the potential to orientate the public to connect the Girl Child Education to that of the Boy Child Education.