Refugee Children get help from Ibis, Ghana

Accra, Nov 9, GNA - Ibis Education for Development, a Danish NGO, on Tuesday, launched an Accelerated Learning Programme (ALP) in which children between six and 15 years at the Gomoa Buduburam Refugee Camp could be educated within three years to be integrated into their home schools formal system in Liberia if they got back there..

The programme, which aimed at helping children living in deprived communities had already taken off on pilot basis in the Bole and East Gonja Districts in Ghana's Northern Region as well.

Mr. Tijani Hamza, Programme Director of Education, Ibis Ghana, said the programme, being implemented in Liberia involved teaching methodology, psychology, mathematics and physical education for teacher trainers and facilitators who would be responsible for the presentation of the ALP courses for teachers.

Mr. Hamza said under the three-year programme a school would be established a school in the camp using UNHCR's existing school structures to ensure that the children were educated.

He urged the refugee community to make extra efforts to support their children's education, adding that education was the best legacy they could leave for their children and the need to sacrifice now should be their priority.

He said Ibis was committed to forming partnership with the Camp's community leaders to identify their needs and ensure that programmes put in place benefited them.

Mr. Fridolin K. Tepe-Mensah, Associate Community Services Officer, UNHCR, cautioned the community against over reliance on donor support for the payment of school fees.

They should also strive to complement efforts of donors to ensure quality education for their children.

He said though there were about 300 churches and organisations offering support and various services for the refugees, there was the need for them to redouble efforts to ensure at least basic education for all refugees in the settlement was attained. Mr Tepe-Mensah called on other organisations to regard education as priority to help reduce the vulnerability of children to crisis and disaster in building new lives.