Regional News of Thursday, 23 September 2010

Source: GNA

Nine victims of child labour enrol in regular school

Winneba, Sept. 23 GNA - Nine adolescents who were rescued from fishing activities along the Volta Lake and given functional literacy classes for 11 months were, on Wednesday, enrolled in regular schools in the Effutu Municipality. The adolescents, aged between 10 and 21, are made up of four girls and five boys. Speaking at a short ceremony for the enrolment, the Effutu Municipal Coordinator of the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ministry of Education, Madam Mary Aba Ghunney, said her office had established a special Youth Literacy Class, where children of school age, 10-20 years, are enrolled and offered intensive teaching for one year and pushed into upper classes in the primary school in Winneba. She commended the government for revamping the NFED, responsible for implementing the functional Literacy Programme. Madam Ghunney said since the programme started a few years ago, a number of illiterates have gone through it and acquired higher education. Mrs Elizabeth Ennimil, the Effutu Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service, urged the newly enrolled adolescents to eschew all negative tendencies, be respectful and concentrate on their books to enable them to acquire higher education. She entreated parents to support their children with their resources, even when limited, to supplement government's efforts. Nii Ephraim, Effutu Municipal Chief Executive, who chaired the programme, commended the NFED directorate in the area for their contribution towards the training of the children. He said education is a continuous process that equips people to be productive in life and urged parents to take advantage of the free supply of uniforms and text books, the school feeding programme and the Capitation Grant to send their children to school.