Girl child education has seen significant improvement in the Oforikrom municipality of the Ashanti Region as each government school in the area now has a girl child coordinator.
Despite notable achievements in advancing girl child education in Ghana, girls continue to face challenges in accessing counseling within various districts.
The government schools, which in the past had one coordinator for three schools, had difficulties in focusing on the specific needs of girls.
But steps have been made to improve the situation under a new initiative.
Dorothy Oye Debrah, the Girl Child Education Officer at the Oforikrom Education Directorate, organized a workshop for new coordinators, themed: “Empowering Voices, Changing Lives: Strengthening Support for the Girl Child in Schools.”
“You will realize our children, both boys and girls need a lot of counseling and interactions with adults. When I took office, I realized that most schools had 3 schedules for one person, which was too many students for one person. So I insisted that I need someone to be assigned to just one school. And when there is one in every school, they can be able to assist effectively,” she said.
“There are some of them who come from homes where they have no one to talk to even when they’re going through an emotional crisis. They need constant guidance, mentorship and education. It is more effective when a particular person is in charge of a particular school so they can pay more attention to our girls,” she added
The Municipal Director of Education, Dorothy Opare-Baidu, emphasized the importance of continually improving girl child education, describing the roles as ‘critical in this journey.’
“At the heart of our vision lies the vision of the Girls’ Education Unit, where every Ghanaian child regardless of gender, attends safe and welcoming schools. You are frontline advocates, you provide guidance, mentorship, and support, ensuring that girls remain in school, feel safe, and receive the quality education they deserve. This is why your role as Girl Child Coordinators is critical in this journey,” she said.
Attendees included Girls’ Education Officers, Guidance and Counseling officials, Police Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit, and teachers from both basic and secondary institutions across the city.
They emphasized the significance of nurturing the voices of girls and ensuring that they have the resources and support necessary to thrive academically, emotionally and socially.
Girl Child Education Officer for Asokore Mampong, Eunice Korantema, said “coming here I have realized that most of the issues cut across all municipalities. I’m also leaving with the bits and pieces I have picked here to help my own municipality.”
“We are dealing with girls in our schools and we have to get strategies and so many things to cater for them when they are in need. I believe I was appointed for this role because of certain qualities I possess and through this initiative, we’ll be able to train and shape the girls in a good way,” another coordinator said.
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