Development partners mark Int Day of Education

UNICEF Ghana and some development partners have marked this year's International Day of Education (IDE) by undertaking minor infrastructure repairs in some schools in the Akuapem South and North districts. 

Led by students of the Akuapem Technical Institute, they engaged in painting, joinery, building fences and tree planting at the Agyemanti M/A Basic School, Ahwerasi Presby Primary and KG School, Aburi Anglican Basic School, all in the Akuapem South District and Demonstration School for the Deaf in the Akuapem North District.

For most of the students, pupils and dignitaries present including the traditional authorities, it was spectacular watching the UNICEF Representative to Ghana, Osama Makkawi, join the students to paint some of the classrooms, an activity, he said was his first time of doing while the UNESCO Representative to Ghana, Edmond Moukala N'gouemo, took to building the fences of some schools with the students.

Other development partners present who joined in the celebration and activities included the World Food Programme Representative to Ghana, Aurore Rusiga; representatives from the World Health Organisation (WHO); USAID; IDP Foundation and GNECC.

International Day of Education

The United Nations General Assembly declared January 24 as IDE, in celebration of the role of education for peace and development.

The theme for this year's celebration is, "Climate and education, " and it highlights the fact that as the world faces an era marked by climate crisis, it has become essential to take urgent and transformative actions to shape the future of the world.

Education holds the key to these efforts as climate shocks disrupt access to quality education globally.

In Ghana, UNICEF Ghana used the occasion to showcase the capacity of TVET students and how they could apply their knowledge and practical skills to effectively contribute to solving local problems.

The day was also used to promote collaboration among community members, partners and the school community in addressing challenges that exist in schools, communities, climate change issues and promote inclusivity. 

Climate events

At a durbar of the chiefs and people of Agyemanti held ahead of the infrastructure repair works, the Chair, Development Partners in Education Group, Christin Lucille McConnell, said at least in 2024, 242 million students worldwide from pre-primary to upper secondary experienced school disruptions due to climate events.

Her speech, which was read on her behalf by an education specialist of UNICEF Ghana, Christopher Nkrumah, said in Africa, an additional 20 million children were at risk of dropping out of school due to climate-related challenges adding that, the figure highlighted the urgent need to address the intersection of education and climate resilience.

For Ghana, she said approximately 1.2 million children, predominantly in rural areas were still out of school and vulnerable to risks such as child labour, early marriage and violence adding that climate-induced disruptions in 2023, including flooding that affected over 30,000 children and heatwave that rendered classrooms uncomfortable further underscored the need for action.

"We are particularly optimistic about Ghana's potential to address these challenges through home-grown solutions.  TVET institutions stand out as strategic partners in championing innovative approaches to solving problems in schools, workplaces and communities.

"By leveraging their expertise, we can design and implement climate-smart and disaster-resilient learning facilities, while addressing broader infrastructural and environmental challenges," she said.

She urged all stakeholders including the government, development partners, private sector and community members to take concrete actions to strengthen partnerships between TVET and non-TVET institutions to address infrastructural and environmental challenges effectively.

TVET

In an interview, Mr Makkawi stated that TVET was the best way to reach the most vulnerable adolescents and young people to impart skills.

He emphasised the need to modernise TVET in the 21st century to fit the purpose and the needs of the market and the people.

The Director of Infrastructural Planning and Development at the Ghana TVET Service, Dr Eric Kofi Adzroe, called on parents to encourage their children to take the path of TVET for the nation to develop.

The queen mother of Agyemanti, Awo Yaa Otwiwa, said education held the key to improving the lives of their children such that going forward, it would be difficult for one to get a good employment opportunity if one was not educated.

The Akuapem South Municipal Director of Education, Elizabeth Afriyie, called on all to work together to ensure that every child had access to quality education and the opportunity to reach their full learning potential.