Withdrawal of children from school for marriage persists

Bolgatanga, April 23, GNA - In spite of the efforts by the Talensi-Nabdam District Assembly and the District Directorate of Educatio= n to discourage parents from withdrawing their children from school for marriage, some parents especially fathers in some communities still withd= raw their children from school for marriages. Whilst others claimed they needed to give the girls out in order to ge= t the cows to pay for the marriage prices of male children others do that j= ust for monetary gains.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, Mrs. Mary Azumah Kungazuri, Chairperson for a Women's group at Yameriga in the District th= at is into tree planting and nurturing, said the rate at which some parents withdraw their daughters from school for marriage was so alarming and if not checked it could jeopardize the future of many female school children in the area.

She said the practice was normally done by fathers who are are usual= ly lured or sometimes elope.

Mrs. Kungazuri called on stakeholders including the District Assembly,=

Civil Society Organizations and the law enforcement agencies the Media am= ong others to help fight against the canker and called for the need for publi= c education in the communities. She said parents found guilty of the practice should be sanctioned.