Interested parties urged to prioritise boys, girls education equally
The Ledzokuku Municipal Director of Education, Theresa Tetteh, has reminded all stakeholders in the education sector not to over-concentrate on the development of the girl child at the expense of boys.
She therefore appealed to parents, non-governmental organisations, international bodies and all other stakeholders in the education sector to allocate resources to address issues affecting the boy child, such as anxiety, mental health and adolescent reproductive health, among other challenges that require urgent attention to help them grow well.
Mrs Tetteh explained that when boys receive the mentoring, coaching and care they need, there is no way they will indulge in social vices or create challenges for themselves, their families, society and the nation as a whole.
Edition
Mrs Tetteh was speaking at an event rcently to mark this year’s International Day of the Boy Child in the Ledzokuku Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
The event, which had the theme “Flourish, and thrive: investing in the boy for stronger families and communities,” brought together educators, politicians, religious leaders, learners, faith-based organisations among others.
May 16 every year is celebrated as the International Day of the Boy Child worldwide to discuss issues related to the well-being of the boy child.
It was on this basis that the Ledzokuku Municipal Education Directorate, in collaboration with the Uttermost Campus, brought together boys from first- and second-cycle institutions across the municipality to mark the day.
Uttermost Campus is a strategic wing of the Uttermost Church, a dynamic, purpose-driven and destiny-oriented evangelical movement commissioned to raise spiritually awakened, intellectually transformed and kingdom-minded students across educational campuses.
Support
The municipal director observed that, due to some parents' lack of proper support, coaching and mentoring for boys at an early age, boys were sometimes forced to depend on their peers, social media and other sources for the information they needed in life, which at times landed them in trouble.
She added that shaping the future dreams of the boy child was the responsibility of all stakeholders, not just teachers and parents.
Madam Eunice Korantemaa Nsowah, the Ledzokuku Municipal Education Welfare Officer and Second Cycle Coordinator, said that, apart from providing quality education to the boy child, their mental health issues and other needs should be taken seriously to prevent them from disrupting their growth and development.
Growth
She appealed to school counsellors to continue engaging their students regularly and assist them in managing issues affecting their growth and development.
The Founder and Leader of Uttermost Campus, Pastor Solomon Addo, challenged parents not to let the academic development of their boy child be their only priority but also their social and spiritual growth.
He explained that empowering the boy child to become a responsible adult was critical for the nation and added his voice, urging all to take a second look at how to raise boys at home and in schools.
Pastor Addo indicated that the fast-changing world required that all children be equipped with good values and intellectual skills so they would appreciate the need to be good citizens of the world rather than property- and cash-chasing humans.
