Child abuse on the increase- CCESAG

Winneba (C/R), March 25, GNA - The University of Education, Winneba (UEW), Childhood Care Education Students Association of Ghana (CCESAG) has expressed regret that children in the country were yet to be emancipated from all forms of abuse, irrespective of the numerous UN Conventions and Acts on the Right of the Child that had been ratified. Mr Samuel Ambre, President of the Association said this at the launch of the second CCESAG week celebration in Winneba. The week-long celebration is under the theme "Ensuring Quality Early Children Care and Development -The Role of the Early Childhood Care Development Practitioner"

Mr Ambre said according to Ghana's report to the United Nation's Committee on the Right of the Child, admission into children's homes rose from 133 to 142 between 2002 and 2004. A clear indication that inadequate care and maintenance of the Ghanaian child continue to rise annually, Mr Ambre emphasized. He said from the same report the child-teacher ratio also raises a big question mark, adding that at the KG level for instance, where solid foundation is needed, the training of those children in their formative years, are handled by people without the requisite knowledge. The CCESAG President said in recent times, children undertake all kinds of menial jobs either to fend for themselves or support the family to the disadvantage of their education. According to Mr Ambre, members of the Association have at times prevented children from engaging in petty trading, especially selling of iced water because they were either too young to sell or weak to carry such loads of sachet water.

"Some of these children at times are found not to have eaten at all at the period they go about selling," he said. Mrs Evelyn Quartey-Papafio, Officer In-charge of the National Nursery Teachers Training Centre, said children benefit when the family and the early childhood staff share a common commitment to promote the interest children. 25 March 09