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17th May, 2010
Don't Cane Children At School - Plan Ghana Suggests
The Northern Sector Manager of Plan Ghana, a child centred non-governmental organization, Mr Kofi Adade Debrah has called on the Ghana Education Service to find better alternative to child correction at school other than caning, weeding and sanitation promotion as punishment.
He said teachers must also check bullying and teasing in school as well as sexual abuse all of which inject fear in children, significantly affect effective studies, and sometimes lead to their dropping out of school.
Mr Debrah was speaking at the launch of “Learn without Fear” campaign in the Wa Municipality on Saturday.
It is an initiative by Plan Ghana to eliminate fear and other factors hindering children’s education especially at the rural community level.
Mr Debrah said that in 2008 drop-out rate for primary six in the region was 17.3 per cent as compared to the national figure of 4.2 per cent.
However, he said no research was conducted to link it to fear at school per se, such problems as bullying, sexual abuse, teasing, caning, among others had played a significant role in the dropout rate situation.
He said at the household level, the practice of female genital mutilation of which the Upper West Region has 56.1 per cent occurrences as compared to a national situation of 3.8 per cent as at 2006, needs to be addressed seriously.
According to Mr Debrah, the three top most reported cases of child abuse recorded at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Regional Police Command in 2007, defilement 16.9 per cent, abduction 18.2 per cent and non-maintenance registering 51.9 per cent.
Mr Debrah explained that these cases showed that children protection and maintenance issues need to be given more attention by both government and society, if the “learn without fear” campaign is to succeed.
He called for the creation of a congenial atmosphere for children to learn and make the best out of their time.
The Wa Programme Area Manager of Plan Ghana, Mr Christopher Teye called for the protection of children’s rights against abuse and violence in schools to enable them develop their full potentials.
Mr Teye said education plays a vital role in the development of a nation and called for the creation of conducive and safe environment to enhance effective and efficient teaching and learning to give children a bright future.
The Regional Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Mr Alex Amenya called on the public to report any form of abuse against children promptly to the police for action.
Mr Amenya advised people against the settlement of abuses against children at home and gave the assurance that prompt action would always be taken by DOVVSU in cases of abuses against children.
The Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Yakubu Duogo who launched the campaign, tasked Parent / Teacher Associations to take the campaign seriously and work towards its success in schools especially those at the rural community level.
Mr Duogo commended Plan Ghana for its initiative aimed at improving teaching and learning in schools and urged other institutions and NGOs to initiate similar programmes to promote education delivery in the Municipality.
The Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mr David Yakubu praised Plan Ghana for its efforts at ensuring the proper development of the child.
Mr Yakubu called on stakeholders in education, traditional rulers and parents to take the campaign seriously to endure its success for the benefit of children.
He called on NGOs in the education sectors to redouble their efforts to ensure the maximization of resources and to avert duplication of programmes.
He said teachers must also check bullying and teasing in school as well as sexual abuse all of which inject fear in children, significantly affect effective studies, and sometimes lead to their dropping out of school.
Mr Debrah was speaking at the launch of “Learn without Fear” campaign in the Wa Municipality on Saturday.
It is an initiative by Plan Ghana to eliminate fear and other factors hindering children’s education especially at the rural community level.
Mr Debrah said that in 2008 drop-out rate for primary six in the region was 17.3 per cent as compared to the national figure of 4.2 per cent.
However, he said no research was conducted to link it to fear at school per se, such problems as bullying, sexual abuse, teasing, caning, among others had played a significant role in the dropout rate situation.
He said at the household level, the practice of female genital mutilation of which the Upper West Region has 56.1 per cent occurrences as compared to a national situation of 3.8 per cent as at 2006, needs to be addressed seriously.
According to Mr Debrah, the three top most reported cases of child abuse recorded at the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit of the Regional Police Command in 2007, defilement 16.9 per cent, abduction 18.2 per cent and non-maintenance registering 51.9 per cent.
Mr Debrah explained that these cases showed that children protection and maintenance issues need to be given more attention by both government and society, if the “learn without fear” campaign is to succeed.
He called for the creation of a congenial atmosphere for children to learn and make the best out of their time.
The Wa Programme Area Manager of Plan Ghana, Mr Christopher Teye called for the protection of children’s rights against abuse and violence in schools to enable them develop their full potentials.
Mr Teye said education plays a vital role in the development of a nation and called for the creation of conducive and safe environment to enhance effective and efficient teaching and learning to give children a bright future.
The Regional Co-ordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU), Mr Alex Amenya called on the public to report any form of abuse against children promptly to the police for action.
Mr Amenya advised people against the settlement of abuses against children at home and gave the assurance that prompt action would always be taken by DOVVSU in cases of abuses against children.
The Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Yakubu Duogo who launched the campaign, tasked Parent / Teacher Associations to take the campaign seriously and work towards its success in schools especially those at the rural community level.
Mr Duogo commended Plan Ghana for its initiative aimed at improving teaching and learning in schools and urged other institutions and NGOs to initiate similar programmes to promote education delivery in the Municipality.
The Regional Co-ordinating Director, Mr David Yakubu praised Plan Ghana for its efforts at ensuring the proper development of the child.
Mr Yakubu called on stakeholders in education, traditional rulers and parents to take the campaign seriously to endure its success for the benefit of children.
He called on NGOs in the education sectors to redouble their efforts to ensure the maximization of resources and to avert duplication of programmes.
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