Withdrawal of children from School for marriage persists in Talensi-Nabdam

Bolgatanga, April 28, GNA - Mrs Mary Azumah Kungazuri, chairperson of Yameriga women's group in the Talensi-

Nabdam District, said the spate at which some parents withdrew their daughters from school for marriage was alarming

and if not checked could jeopardize the future of girl child. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, she said in spite of efforts by the Talensi-Nabdam District Assembly

and the District Directorate of Education to discourage parents from the practice, some fathers still indulged in it. The parents claim they needed to give the girls out in order to get the cows to pay the marriage price of male children

while others do that just for monetary gains. Mrs Azumah Kungazuri explained that the practice was normally done by fathers on the quite with the view of collecting

some number of cows. She said the girls were usually lured into the marriage and many of them had dropped out of school as a result of the

practice. Mrs Kungazuri called on stakeholders including the District Assembly, Civil Society Organizations, the law enforcement

agencies and the media among others to help fight the canker. She advocated for public education in the communities and called for the sanctioning of parents who were found guilty

of the practice to serve as deterrent. Touching on the women's group, Mrs Kungazuri said the group was into tree planting and commended the Management

of the Northern Savannah Biodiversity Project for establishment it in the area. She said whilst women in the group could now afford to cater for their children's education through the project, their

efforts were being undermined as their daughters were withdrawn from school and given out for marriage. Mrs Kungazuri explained that through the project, they were able to nurse seedlings which were patronized by

institutions and individuals and the proceeds used to take care of their families. She said the initiative had reduced the number of women who migrated to southern Ghana to do menial jobs.