Churcher explains policy on girl-child education

Kumasi, Nov 16, GNA- The emphasis on the girl-child education in the government's educational policy is a strategy to attain 100 percent enrolment rate in schools in the shortest possible time.

It is the aim of the government to achieve gender parity in schools by the year 2005 and use it as a springboard to achieve the targeted 100 percent enrolment rate for both girls and boys in schools in the foreseeable

future.

Miss Christine Churcher, Minister of State responsible for Basic, Secondary and Girl-Child Education, explained the policy at the 40th anniversary and speech and prize-giving day celebration of the Kumasi Girls Secondary School in Kumasi on Saturday.

The anniversary was under the theme: "Infrastructure development, a pre-requisite for quality girl-child education".

Miss Churcher asked critics of the policy to discard the notion that the government was promoting girl-child education to the detriment of their male counterparts in the country.

She, however, said a generation of highly educated women would be able to transform the socio-economic fortunes of the nation.

Miss Churcher said: "when woman is educated, she brings transformation to the home and society, she is in a better position to influence the lives of her younger brothers and sisters and is able to educate her children ".

She advised parents and teachers not to consider academically weak children as useless, but to encourage them and provide the necessary support to enable them develop their potentials.

Miss Churcher also advised girls to desist from pre-marital sex and concentrate on their education to enable them achieve higher educational laurels.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, in a speech read for him, said girl-child education could be used as an effective means of preventing the spread of the HIV/AIDS and teenage pregnancy in the society.

He said the Regional Co-ordinating Council would support development efforts of the school authorities urged the staff and students to work hard to maintain the achievements of the educational institution.

Lady Julia Osei Tutu, wife of the Asantehene, who unveiled a plaque of the school, said formal education for the girl-child enhanced her chances to perform both her traditional and official roles effectively.

She, therefore, advised parents to assist their girls to acquire knowledge and skills required for national development.

Miss Theresa Akua Baah, Headmistress of the school, mentioned the lack of classrooms, equipment at the science laboratory, teacher's accommodation, dinning hall and water tank as some of the problems facing the school.

She appealed to the government, non-governmental organisations and other institutions to assist the school.