Education Of Girls Must Remain Paramount

The writer

The desire of many girls, particularly in rural communities in Ghana, to either enrol in school or further their education remains a dream, despite several decades of advocacies in that regard.

I became much concerned recently, when, for instance, I came across a news item about the quest of a 17year old girl to further her education to the secondary level. Bernice Aglanoo's father had declined to take her to school on the grounds that she was disrespectful. A claim neighbours denied.

According to the news item, Bernice used only three months to prepare for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) but had aggregate 10, and was posted to Mawuli senior high school in the Volta region.

The fear was that If Bernice wasn't supported timely; she may be influenced negatively to be deviant with a possible bleak future.

There may be several other children with positive prospects and determination just like Bernice but lack of support is keeping them away from school.

The perception of some people that investing in girl child education is a waste of time and resources is absolutely wrong. Education has in deed, proven to be an ideal means to mould and groom girls just like their male counterparts, very well with the necessary skills that can enable them fit into the labour market and to be useful to the society, in general.

There are many women today, who had the chance to be educated and through that they are now successful in their respective professions; lawyers, bankers, doctors, teachers, parliamentarians, ministers amongst others. Dr Joyce Aryee, former Chamber of Mines Chief Executive, Charlotte Osei, Electoral Commissioner and Her Ladyship Georgina Wood, Outgoing Chief Justice and Her Ladyship Sophia Akuffo, the incoming Chief Justice, are but a few living testimony of how successful women could be, if educated. If these great women's relatives had not supported them through education, I doubt they would have reached this far.

Case of teenage pregnancy, streetism, child labour and abuse, child marriage, and drug abuse are but a few of the horrific alternative to education that can endanger the lives of teenage girls and could greatly affect the growth of the nation.

Education is thus important to every girl, irrespective of her ethnic or religious background. The reason for which article 28 of the United Nation's Convention on the rights of the Child (UNCRC) grants children the right to education. Article 29, then, buttresses this right by stating that, "Children's education should develop each child's personality, talents and abilities to the fullest."

How will you feel as a parent when you see your child at the top or has become a very prominent personality? I'm sure you would definitely feel excited and proud.

It is with this, that l humbly call on you, parents, governments, NGO's and related institutions to help invest in girls. Men who prey on girls for sexual relations when the latter are in need of support should refrain from that as such acts greatly affect their resolve to work towards a better life.

And for my colleague girls, we are 'the Master Brewers', after all. Let us be hard working, determined and make good use of opportunities that come our way.

By Rosemary Anyigba
Student Journalist
Jayee University College