Do not shield perpetrators of sexual abuse

The Central Regional Director of the Department of Gender, Mrs Thywill Kpe, has asked parents and guardians not to cover up for relatives who sexually abuse their children.

At a meeting with parents and teachers of the Nyankomase Ahenkro DA Basic school, she said sexual crimes should not be covered up because the offender was a relative.

Students educated

About 300 students of the Nyankomase Ahenkro DA Basic school have been taken through lessons on sexual and gender-based violence, teenage pregnancy and drug abuse.

The educational outreach was organised by the Central Regional Department of Gender to educate the students on positive behaviours and responsible lifestyles.

Mrs Kpe indicated that it was worrying many children were suffering from all forms of abuses, particularly, sexual crimes while elders they trusted looked on.

Mrs Kpe again advised parents to treat children with respect by improving communication with them.

She further urged the parents to provide the children with their basic needs so that they would not fall prey to sexual abuse.

Re-entry policy

Mrs Rosina Okyere of the Girls Education Unit of the Assin South Directorate of the Ghana Education Service said the service allowed girls to go back to school after giving birth.

She, therefore, advised parents to encourage their children who dropped out of school because of pregnancy to return to school.

A journalist with the Daily Graphic, Mrs Shirley Asiedu-Addo, also advised the students to apportion their time judiciously and study hard to achieve their future aspirations.

She advised them not to be distracted by sexual advances, drugs and other social vices out of school.

The Chairman of the Parent -Teacher Association (PTA), Mr Godfred Ekuban, said the PTA would continue to support efforts to promote good parental values.