Greater Accra Girls Education Unit launches GEN forum

Girls’ Education Network (GEN) forum has been launched at the Accra Technical Training Institute at Kokomlemle by the Greater Accra Regional Girls Educational Unit.

The programme brought together the Municipal and Metro Girls Educational Officers within the Region including; some Non-Governmental Organizations working on issues concerning girls’ education.

Mrs Bernice Ofori, Deputy Regional Director of Education in an opening address said girls’ education which had been their concern was unfortunately subdued by some cultural practices.

As a result, she said the forum was to promote their education to make them assertive in both schools and society.

Speaking on the terms of reference of Girls Education Network (GEN), Mrs Christiana Azure Ayinzoya, Regional Girls' Education Officer for the Greater-Accra Educational Office and Co-Ordinator of the forum said they would launch the Girls' Education Network for Greater-Accra Region, following the launch of the National (GEN) at Koforidua on May 29, 2017.

Mrs Christiana Ayinzoya added subsequent governments had made efforts to improve education for all in Ghana, especially girls education, based on which the Girls Educational Unit was created in 1997 to promote girls education by bringing girls apar with boys.

For years now, the Unit has been working to ensure that there is retention of girls in schools to perform and transit smoothly to the higher levels.

She explained that the girls education unit had a mandate to promote girls education by running activities that would motivate girls and parents to stay in school.

Mrs Ayinzoya added that as a result, NGOs were also supporting the education of girls in Ghana.

They also considered issues of supporting pregnant girls to give birth before allowing them to go back to school while their parents took care of the babies.

The Unit therefore deemed it necessary to bring the NGOs together so that a Network is formed and be known as 'Girls' Education Network' to promote education of girls in Ghana.

In attendance was Madam Dzifa Abla Gomashie, former Deputy Minister for Creative Arts.

The forum was chaired by Mrs Grace Agyepong Dankyira, Regional Basic Schools Coordinator