Collaborate To Teach Rights Of Children

Tuesday February 23, 2010
By Agnes O. Sarpong and Suzy Ansah

The Director of Basic Education, Ghana Education Service Mr. Stephen Adu has called on parents and teachers to collaborate to teach the rights and responsibilities of children in the Ghanaian context.

Such will help curb indiscipline and conflicts in the society and promote the growth of the child towards the development of the country, he said.

This was when Action for Development (AFD) in collaboration with save the children youth in Denmark non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) paid a courtesy call on the Ghana Education Service, the children’s department of the Ministry of Women and Children’s affairs and the Metropolitan Education office in Accra dubbed “Get up stand up in enhancing children’s rights and responsibilities in Ghana.”

He noted that taking to the children alone is not the right way but introduce other approaches such as poetry, artwork, debate, dance among others on the rights of children.

That we must ourselves be apostles, if we don’t change our home, it will be difficult to change others, he stressed.

He urged the organisation to organise seminars and refresher courses on capacity building for the volunteers to upgrade themselves in the field of child’s right and responsibility.

The Director said, children should be taught to understand their rights and responsibilities.

He stressed on the need for schools to establish fora that children can express themselves through guidance and counseling units.

The Director of Departments of children under the auspices of Ministry of Women and Children’s Affairs, Madam Mariama Yayaa called on the parents to be more responsible interms of duty bearers.

“She urged the organisations to find out why children are not going to school but are at home so that they can highlight on the challenges that children encounter in the society.

Madam Yayaa said getting children and parents know their rights and responsibilities will help in the growth of the country for the next generation.

She urged them to serve as role models to themselves and team up with other NGO’s to enable them achieve their targets.

The coordinator for Action For Development (AFD), Mr. Felix Frimpong, said, AFD’ aimed at reducing poverty in marginalized and under privileged communities with special on vulnerable disadvantaged persons in society.

Also to offer capacity building to recruit and train grassroots outreach volunteers to promote child rights in schools, orphanages and child institutions at the basic level in the Greater Accra Metropolis and its environs.

He said, so far 180 children have been sensitized and trained on Child Rights Advocacy within six basic schools in the Greater Accra Metropolis.

The schools include; All Saint Anglican School, Adabraka, Christian Centre Academy, Ofankor, Barnabas J.H.S., Osu, Royals Preparatory School, Osu, Saleem 5 Basic School and Salam Road Basic School through which they have been able to set up convention on the Rights of the Child Club in each of the schools mentioned above.

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