NGO SUPPORTS FEMALE EDUCATION IN NR (PAGE 23)

THE Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has embarked on an initiative aimed at encouraging and retaining children, particularly girls in the classroom at its operational areas in the northern region.
The region has the highest number of female illiterates in the country.
The project dubbed: “Teacher mentor programme, is being implemented in partnership with the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana.
Under the programme, 273 beneficiary schools will be offered counsel on psycho-social, emotional and academic issues. There will also be awareness creation for communities to enable them to support vulnerable children to gain access and progress through school.
The NGO currently operates in 14 districts in the region. They are Tamale, Yendi, Nanumba North and Nanumba South, Chereponi, Savelugu/Nanton and Karaga. The others are Gushiegu, West Mamprusi, East Mamprusi, Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo, Tolon, West Gonja and Bole.
According to the Executive Director of CAMFED, Ms Dolores Dickson, her outfit is presenting needy children in beneficiary communities with school uniforms and other learning materials.
“We will also provide bursary packages for vulnerable girls in both junior and senior high schools with long-term commitment of full support to help them complete school”, she stated.
Other programmes lined up include the formation of girls’ clubs in schools and girls’ empowerment camps, executing projects to improve the overall school environment.
Former beneficiaries of Camfed interventions, Campaign for Female Education Association, (CAMA) will also conduct community advocacy programmes.
On the mentor initiative, Ms Dickson further explained that the teachers would identify and prevent harassment in schools and seek ways to address them.
They will also work in close partnership with communities and families to identify and address causes of disadvantage and discrimination with regard to children’s education and also support the creation of school policies that reflect the needs of the most vulnerable children, she added.
The director observed that, apart from the provision of materials to support the children in school, they also needed protection, emotional and psychological support to help them continue and complete school.
“For a long time, the emphasis has been on providing basic school needs and not much on providing psychological support and protection to particularly orphans, vulnerable children and girls who are highly at risk of dropping out as a result of abuse,” she stated.
Ms Dickson further stated that the education of most girls were cut short in the area as a result of teenage pregnancy, early marriages, child betrothal, labour and excessive housework.
She, therefore, explained that the programme intended to improve educational access and quality for vulnerable children by taking a holistic approach to creating child friendly and gender responsive schools.