Aburi Girls win Eastern Region Project Citizen Showcase
Aburi Girls’ Senior High School (SHS) will represent the Eastern Region at the national level after garnering a maximum 67 points to beat three other schools to emerge winner in the fourth edition of the Eastern Regional Project Citizen Ghana in Koforidua.
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The 16 students, who represented the school , did a presentation on “maternity leave for workers” and advocated that it be increased from three to seven months.
They argued that that would save lactating mothers the frustration of thinking about their three-month old babies left at home when, in fact, they are supposed to concentrate on their work to increase productivity.
Pope John SHS came second with 66.3 points, Pentecost SHS and Ghana SHS had 66 points to occupy the third position.
The Showcase was organised by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), with support from the European Union.
Project Citizen Ghana is a concept that seeks to empower students to learn how to develop public policies to solve community problems.
It also enables students to learn how citizens can have the power to monitor and influence policy-making within the community and develop intellectual and participatory skills that promote authentic research, critical thinking, effective communication and reflective thinking.
The day saw the four SHS in the Region identifying and gathering information on problems that needed policy solutions in their communities as well as researching, finding alternative solutions and proposing their own policies on how those challenges could be resolved.
The project is intended to help the students to develop a democratic disposition that encourages the exercise of fundamental rights and responsibilities with commitment and confidence.
Opening the function Mr Eric Bortey, Regional Director for the NCCE, said tailoring programmes such as the Project Citizen Ghana for the youth would help equip them to fight alien cultural practices through the various social media.
He stressed the need for Ghanaians, especially the youth, to develop their knowledge and skills to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s socio-economic development.
“Without knowledge and skills, I am afraid, we shall be mere passengers or passive citizens even to the point of being negative citizens in our democracy,” he said.
Mrs Dora Hammond, Deputy Director for Programmes and Co-ordinator of the Project Citizen Ghana, urged the students to take their studies serious to become assets to the nation.
“We are building you up and expecting that you will not come out to be part of the challenges we face as a nation but as part of the solution.”