Kumasi schools marks Child Labour Day

Kumasi, June 16, GNA - Twenty selected schools in Primary and Junior High Schools (JHS) in the Kumasi Metropolis, at the weekend participated in a quiz competition organized by the Centre for Development of People (CEDEP), a non governmental organization (NGO) to mark the celebration of the World Child Labour Day. The celebration of the Day which was under the theme: "Education, the Right Response to Child Labour," was designed to draw the public attention to the menace of child labour and the need to fight it in society.

At the primary level, Dichemso M/A Primary School won the first prize, a football, Yennyawaso Presbyterian came second to receive a set of table tennis equipment, whilst Asawasi M/A Primary placed third and took away a wall clock.

Aboabo Watania Islamic School took the first position at the JHS level and also received a football. The second was by the Suame Junior School, which took home a set of table tennis items and the third position, Bantama Methodist School receiving a wall clock. June 12 each year is set aside by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to sensitize people on the dangers involved in engaging children in worst forms of labour. Mr Benedict Fosu Adjei, a child's rights activist noted that this year's celebration focused on the elimination of child labour in agriculture, especially in cocoa growing areas where greater percentage of children were found. Mr Adjei said the United Nations and other international communities have set targets to ensure that by 2015 (MDGs) all children enjoy education without any hindrance. He said children as future leaders should be nurtured and given education to enable them play positive roles in national development. Mr Charles Sakyi, Director of CEDEP, commended the participating schools and award winners in the competition and said the competition would be a period affair to sensitize the public on the need to eliminate child labour in society. 16 June 08