NGO commends government for its educational interventions

Wa, April 25, GNA- The Northern Network for Education Development (NNED), an NGO has commended the government for its relentless efforts to provide quality education for all children in the country. It welcomed the gains made through the introduction of the capitation grant and the school feeding programme and said it was looking forward for a more relevant education through the new education reforms, which would start in September this year. The NGO, a broad based network of stakeholders in education in the three Northern Regions, noted that with a political will, attention and resource allocation, Ghana would certainly achieve "Education for All" by 2015.

These were contained in a press statement issued and signed by Mr. Eric Dourinaah, Coordinator of NNED in Wa on Wednesday to mark the 6th Global Action Week on education. The Week is on the theme: "Join up for education rights in Northern Ghana".

The NNED however said, despite these interventions, the data it gathered from some rural communities including Tanchara, Lawra-Zombo and Wa township in the Upper West Region, Azinsum-Sumbrungu and Zongo in the Upper East Region and Bagliga in the Northern Region, point to the denial of the right of several children to quality basic education. It said up to 20 per cent of children, majority of whom are orphans and vulnerable were still denied the right to enrol and remain in school.

The NGO therefore called on the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports to conduct a research in the communities mentioned and make a real commitment to get all children enrolled into school. The NNED also called on the government to give a special allocation of the capitation grant to rural schools to support poor children to help improve teaching and learning in rural schools. It appealed to traditional rulers and Members of Parliament in the three Northern Regions to show concern for education and welfare of poor children in their communities.

"Members of Parliament must be able to advocate the plight of vulnerable children on the floor of Parliament and increase direct support to needy pupils", it said.

The NGO urged implementers of the new education reforms to demonstrate genuine commitment to bridge the development gap between the south and the north as well as urban and rural communities by adopting policies based on equity.