NGOs form network with GES to promote girl child education | News Ghana

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) promoting the girl child education in various forms have formed a network with the Ghana Education Service (GES) to streamline and promote their education.

The network known as Girls Education Network (GEN) is to operate under the auspices of the GES and among its objectives to improve collaboration between all agencies and organizations working on girls education within the region and to share best practices, research and evidence to support activities of the agencies and organizations.
To ensure a quick implementation of its agenda and objectives in the interest of the girl child, a six-member executive with Mr Stephen Abarika as the President were nominated from the various NGOs and the GES.

They have subsequently been inaugurated Mrs Deborah Babatunde by the Eastern Regional Deputy Director of Education.
The NGOs that formed the GEN include; Plan International Ghana, Hunger Project, CRESSCENT, African Women Advocacy Project, College for Ama (COFA), International Child Development programme, Herald Foundation, Flower, Youth Advocates Ghana, AG-Care, World Vision and World Joy that operates in various districts with specific objectives in the districts across the region.

According to statistics from the GES, in 2016, a total of 331 teenage pregnancies were recorded while the Ghana Health Service (GHS) has a whooping average record of over 10,000 teenage pregnancies being recorded.

Mrs Cynthia Anim, Regional Coordinator of the Girl child education unit of the GES, said when a girl was empowered to complete a full cycle of education, it was a step for economic growth for the country and therefore there was the need to pay attention to them.
However, she said for a rural girl to be empowered there was the need for a lot of motivation ranging from homecare, logistics support and institutional support to motivate her to climb up the ladder and that was the agenda of the GEN to advocate and fill the gap for the rural communities especially.

To ensure fair distribution of organizations and institutions supporting girl’s education in the region, the formation of the GEN under one umbrella would ensure effective coordination and supervision.
Mr Stephen Abarika, President for GEN, , said the girl child education should not be left in the hands of only women as the inclusion of men was vital for their growth and development.

Source: News Ghana