Plan Ghana to establish six “Girl friendly Schools”

Silbelle, (U/W), Dec.10, GNA – Plan Ghana, an international child centered Non Governmental Organisation, (NGO) is to establish six “Girl friendly Schools” in the Upper West Region through the “Girl Power Project” funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Mr. Richard Boadu, Plan Ghana Project Unit Manager for the Upper West Region, announced this at a grand durbar of the chiefs and people of Gandawii Traditional Area at Silbelle in the Sissala West District.

The durbar, which was facilitated by the Sissala Literacy and Development Programme (SILDEP) and sponsored by Plan Ghana, was aimed at sensitizing the people on the implementation of the “Girl Power Project in the District. Mr. Boadu said four of the Schools, comprising three Junior High Schools, (JHSs) and a primary school, had already been awarded on contract and were expected to be completed in the next eight months.

He said the schools, which have girl friendly sanitary facilities attached to them, were geared towards protecting and empowering the girl child through education. Mr. Moses Dramani Luri, Chief Executive Director of SILDEP, thanked the chiefs and people of the Gandawii Traditional Area for their support in organising the durbar, saying it meant that they welcomed the implementation of the project in their area. He stated that with their support, the objective of the project, which is to eliminate all forms of violence against girls and young women and empower them economically, educationally and politically would be met with ease. Mr. Luri urged the people to be serious with the education of their children, especially the girl-child, as it was the major means towards reducing poverty and hunger within their families and societies.

Madam Stella Dogber, Sissala West District Girls Education Officer, who spoke on the topic, “The Importance of Educating the Girl Child,” pointed out that educating the girl-child would help her shun some negative socio-cultural practices that were inimical to her welfare and development. She said Ghana needed productive citizens and educating the girl child would help make them more productive and economically independent thereby reducing their dependency ratio.

Kuoro Kazia Navei Nankene, the Chief of Silbelle, expressed his gratitude to Plan Ghana and SILDEP for bringing the project to the Sissala West District which would help improve their children’s education.