Book on Child Protection in Boarding Schools launched

A book, examining contemporary issues affecting children and young people in boarding schools and outlining principles and strategies in addressing them holistically, has been launched.

Dr Prospera Dzang-Tedam, a Lead Social Work Practice Quality, and a co-author of the book on Tuesday expressed the need for social workers to be engaged in schools to manage some of the inhumane issues happening to boarders.

She said currently social workers were employed in voluntary sectors by NGOs and if some were engaged in schools per regions, their efforts would help control as well as curtail most of the mishaps children especially went through at the various educational institutions.

Dr Dzang-Tedam also bemoaned the gap between guidance and counselling in the various schools saying: “The absence of these groups of individuals or facilities in being an eye for parents and teachers, are a major cause of the problems students encounter lately both at schools and home.”

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency at the launch of the book, Dr Dzang-Tedam said the project started with her and Mrs Elsie Gaisie-Ahiabu, the other author in an undisclosed region, where it was revealed that young people in boarding schools had specific issues that seemed not to be met by policies.

“These issues ranged from bulling, poverty, menstrual and health issues for the girls, and so after a two year project which ended in 2016, we decided to put all these challenges out in this format for boarding school leaders, policy makers and educationalist to collaborate and develop a child protection process in schools or strengthen existing protocols,” she said.

She said the 156-page book titled: "Child Protection in Boarding Schools in Ghana: Contemporary Issues, Challenge and Opportunities," sought to contribute to the finding of solutions to a phenomenon, which was silent but potent enough to stifle the progress of the country if not managed.

The 15 -chapter book comes with topics likes setting the context, understanding childhood and education in context, understanding boarding schools, child protection in boarding schools and the sunflower project.

Other topics are issues challenges and opportunities, understanding the role of the social worker and concluding arguments.