Forty-two-Year-Old Woman Enters JSS One

Bolgatanga, 19 Sept, GNA - A 42-year-old woman, Mrs. Florence Kuubiu who just completed the Bukere Primary School in Bolgatanga, has been admitted to Form One in the Junior Secondary division of the same school this academic year.

Mrs Kuubiu is married with three children, one of whom is in JSS three, one in Primary Six and the other in Primary Five. This came to light when the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Alhaji Awudu Yermiah, accompanied by the Regional Director of Education, Mrs. Elizabeth Ayire Mwinkaar, visited some schools in the Bolgatanga Municipality on Tuesday.

The exercise formed pa rt of a nationwide programme dubbed "My First Day in School."

Mrs. Kuubiu explained that as a child she could not be sent to school because her family could not afford the cost involved and at the age of 36 she got herself enrolled into Primary One through the support of the Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ministry of Education and her husband.

Mrs Kuubiu said she realised that education was the bedrock of any development and could therefore not stand to miss that opportunity. She said she had the determination to go as far as the tertiary level provided she would not be constrained by financial problems and appealed to non-governmental organisations to support her to achieve her dreams.

Mrs Kuubiu said she did not feel shy being in the same class with pupils who are the same age as her children and that they were very cooperative with her in studies.

The schools visited in the Municipality included Bolgatanga Preparatory, Bukere Primary and Adabase Primary schools. Each of the schools was received a package of exercise books from the Minister. The authorities of the Bolgatanga Preparatory School appealed to the minister and the Regional Director of Education to support the school with a fence wall to prevent the children from being exposed to danger.

The Head teacher of Bukere Day Nursery, Mrs. Bride Mambisi Apania, appealed to the Minister and the Regional Director of Education to provide a proper structure for the Day Nursery that was built with mud and had developed some cracks.

The Deputy Regional Minister said he was impressed with the exercise, especially at Adabase Primary School where a four-year-old Kindergarten girl recited a poem to his admiration.

Alhaji Yermiah said his outfit and the Regional Directorate of Education would assist those schools that lack basic infrastructure to enhance teaching and learning.