Oguaa NGO unhappy with lack of eye-care for pupils

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Mr Francis Mensah-Okyere, Executive Director of Child-Learner Development Organisation (CLEDOR), a child development-oriented NGO based in Cape Coast, on Thursday expressed concern about the rate of visual impairment among school children in some areas of the central region.

According to him, during an eye screening exercise conducted by his organisation in collaboration with the Lions Club, also in Cape Coast, it was detected that 14.5 per cent out of a total of 475 school children in Cape Coast and the Abura Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) and Mfantsiman Districts, had various eye impairments, including glaucoma and refraction errors.

Mr Mensah-Okyere expressed the sentiments at a workshop organised by CLEDOR, in Cape Coast for various stakeholders in education, such as chairmen of PTAs and School Management Committees from the affected districts and representatives of the assemblies, to deliberate in finding solutions to the problem.

It was under the theme: “Helping the Under-Achiever in Basic School.”

He said the result also showed that none of the school children identified as having eye disease, had ever had their eyes examined, and advised that such exercises should be held regularly.

The forum, also deliberated on the poor academic performance of candidates for the BECE in the region, which Mr Mensah-Okyere described as appalling, especially within the Mfantsiman and AAK Districts.
He said recent data collected on school performance in these two areas, showed that, only 49.8 per cent and 40.1 per cent of candidates respectively were able to pass the BECE within the range of aggregate six to 30.

He said a study also conducted among 250 school children in the Cape Coast Metropolis, also indicated that they failed to take their studies seriously, and pointed out that there was a correlation between study habits and academic performance.

Reverend Professor J.K Essuman, an executive member of the organisation also advised government to collaborate with NGOs to provide school children with adequate infrastructure such as study centres especially in the rural areas.
He also asked religious bodies to organize study groups for children and stressed that since “charity begins at home” parents should also create a learning environment at home and encouraged their children to study.