High illiteracy in the north due to traditional beliefs

Diare, (N/R), Oct. 28, GNA - Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister, has blamed the high illiteracy rate in the region on some of the traditional beliefs and practices of the people. He mentioned infant betrothal and child labour and said some parents also preferred using their children as farm hands or herding cattle instead of sending them to school.

Alhaji Idris said this in an address read for him at an "Annual Week" celebration of the Sociology Students' Association (SOSA) of Ghana at Diare in the Savelugu/Nanton District on Friday. SOSA organised the event in collaboration with the Northern Development Society (NODESO), an NGO under the theme: " Poverty and its impact on the child's education: Education the key to eradicate poverty".


Alhaji Idris said as a result of the high illiteracy rate in the region, poverty had become a major problem saying: "Without education, the eradication of poverty will remain a mirage thus rendering the average person unable to satisfy his basic needs." The Regional Minister said the government had introduced measures such as the school feeding programme and the capitation grant to mitigate the cost of education so that every child of school-going age could access basic education.


He urged the sociology students to reach out to the people and educate them on the importance of education and on the need to send their children to school.


They should also be agents of peace and preach the virtues of patience, understanding and tolerance. He urged the students to accept postings to the rural areas after the completion of their studies to contribute to the development of the country.


He reminded them that 2008 was an election year and entreated them to live above parochial, ethnic and monetary considerations when exercising their right to vote. Alhaji Idris also urged them to educate others to exercise their franchise.


"This will be one of your most instrumental efforts at keeping Ghana on its democratic path. Let us all ensure that democracy thrives in this country".

Mr. Iddrisu Adam, the Deputy Northern Regional Director of Education, said structures had been put in place to ensure the smooth implementation of the new education reforms.


He said the introduction of nursery and kindergarten education were a new phenomenon in the rural areas and urged parents to take advantage of it to send their children to school. Mr Adam gave the assurance that measures were being taken to ensure the full implementation of the school-feeding programme in all basic schools in the rural areas.


He said the Regional Directorate of Education would support the efforts of NGOs that sought to promote the welfare and education of children in the region.


Mr. Moses Yahaya, President of NODESO, launched an Education Development Fund for the Savelugu/Nanton and Mamprusi West districts. SOSA donated exercise books to be distributed to schools. He said the NGO aimed among other things at improving the food security, education and reducing poverty in the Northern Region. He said 33 million cedis had been disbursed to women groups to enhance their businesses, while 500 farmers had been provided with credit facilities to cultivate soya bean and other agriculture products. Mr. Yahaya said NODESO had also mounted a campaign against the felling of economic trees and bush burning and appealed to district assemblies, companies and traditional leaders to assist the NGO to expand its activities to the rural areas.


Mr. Duke Hassan, President of SOSA, said the association was undertaking a research on the effects of poverty on the education of children in the region and measures to address it. He said although statistics continued to show an improvement in the country's economy, this had not reflected significantly in the living conditions of the people especially the rural communities.