THE WESTERN Regional Minister, Hon. Joseph Boahen Aidoo, has entreated all district assemblies in the region to come up with bye-laws that will deal with the galamsey and child labour menace which are now posing threat to the proper education of children in the region.
According to him, the galamsey phenomenon and the get rich quick fever that has caught on well with the youth, especially those in the mining areas, had actually created an avalanche and a big gap in the education plan of Wassa Amenfi where he hails from and the region as a whole which must be addressed as early as possible.
The regional minister, who was speaking on the theme "Challenges of tertiary education in Wassa Amenfi - the way forward" at the inauguration of Takoradi Polytechnic Chapter of Wassa Amenfi Students Union in Takoradi last Saturday, noted that the dearth of the region's representation in the universities and polytechnics is real and very worrying citing Wassa Amenfi district as a typical example.
Hon. Aidoo, who is also the MP for Amenfi East, further told the students that the disparity has come about because most people in the region appear to be content with the natural resources the region can boast of and, therefore, do not see the necessity to pursue education for themselves or for their children to its logical conclusion.
He further said though poor school infrastructure, under-staffing and corollary poor school performance at basic and secondary levels, as noted by Prof. Ivan Addae-Mensah, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, during a recent public forum held in Takoradi, could be a contributory factor to this canker, the desire to drop out of school and do galamsey (illegal mining) is the major cause hence his suggestion for bye-laws on galamsey.
Hon. Aidoo further noted that though an educational fund has been established by Kasapreko Kwame Bassanyi III, Omanhene of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area, the success of the scheme and even the need to improve on tertiary education in the district would much depend on the mass education of parents, women and the youth living in the area.
Present was the paramount chief of the area, Kasapreko Kwame Bassanyin III, who is also the current President of the Western Regional House of Chiefs.
