Invest in Early year the critical period of life

Last week’s Budget statement was set to move the country forward in 2015 however it fell short in tackling the lack of investment provision for early years education. One just wonder how the Minister of Finance came out with his strategic calculations for 2015 when he comments that Ghanaians would be enjoying in the 3 years’ time. Did the Minister of Finance have any comprehensive discussions with both the Minister of Education and Minister of Health to deduce his conclusions before reading the budget statement? Surely m Ghana should be working towards something in achieving in outcomes for example outcomes taken for granted in Britain’s “Every Child Matters” green paper document backed by “Children’s Act 2004” and finding s from “the Munro and Francis report”?

Which documents is Ghana working towards and what are the expected outcomes? Surely Ghana must and only emulate best practice and chase the international educational scene in search for one as a standard for the whole country.

The concerns

? In the 21st century, some vulnerable children are still being educated under the tree as a form of education in many rural areas with no risk assessment of their plight. For example, In North Tongu in areas like Mepe, Dofor, Juapong and many more. The younger ones 3-5 years miss out on education, as some do not have any form of nursery education at all if their parents can’t afford to send them to a private one.

? No money earmark in the new Budget statement to ensure the investment of offering nursery placement to all children in Ghana.

? The welfare of children and young families ignored no provision in this budget statement to offer a minimal child benefit for struggling parents.

? Widening of the inequality gap goes further and further apart.

Challenge to Government

What provision therefore has the Minister of Finance made in his budget statement to ensure that children of a struggling mothers/parents unemployed with three or four under fives year old. Both parents depressed about where their next meal is coming for their children?

Has he considered the plight such group people within our society?

It appears the Finance Minister is only focusing on only 800 children he termed as “weak and vulnerable”£ in orphanage home. Does the scenario Does the children who are being educated under the tree/ some no free health care and no provision made for them for an the early education also fit into his 800 figure of weak and vulnerable orphans described in his budget statement?

Whose criteria of needs is the Minister of Finance following if Ghana has signed up to UN Convention of the Right of the Child treaty?

Has Ghana signed up to The UN Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC) treaty?

This is an international treaty, which is an agreement between different countries designed specifically to meet the needs of children. The treaty states that Children have all of the right in other international human rights treaties too, However the UNCRC includes additional rights, which only children need. The treaty points out that all children and young people under the age of 18 have certain rights.

There are about 54 articles in the Treaty. For the purpose of this article I will only focus on the Children right to education, right to play, the right to health and right to respect for privacy and family.

The treaty goes on to say all children should enjoy all of the right without discrimination on the grounds such as disability, sex, race, age or sexual orientation and whatever circumstances in which they live or are cared for.

The document did not specify that schools should be cherry picked and only a selection of children enjoy their right to education, play etc but specify that all children should.

Surely Parliament must also stand as a unified body to defend the rights of children in Ghana! Having checked the list it appears Ghana signed up to the treaty therefore Mepe, Dofor and Juapong community leaders could write direct for this to the International law re the Convention which is meant to be followed and should be referred to by courts, tribunals and other administrative processes when making decisions that affect children. The Convention says all public bodies should comply with the treaty.

Did Ghana signed up to this Treaty on 29 January 1990? Correct me if I am wrong? So why is Parliament violating the treaty? I challenge the Minister of Finance to have a second of his budget statement to ratify the situation?

In his budget statement the Minister of Finance did not make any reference to the Provision of Free Health Care for all children?

There was no mention of the construction of purposeful nursery school for under fives children of whom some are currently being educated under the tree in modern Ghana where Minister enjoy riding in their 4 by 4 state vehicles whilst the vulnerable and weak suffer with parents taking Tro tro with their infant and risking life each day and out.

Did the Minister of Finance make any reference to when the Under The Tree form of education would be completely stopped?

Did he make any reference for the provision of statementing of special needs children and young people who may be needing extra one to one support in schools /colleges and any provision allowance in facilitating this process?

This is the new budget statement so what is Parliament telling the general public?

In deed if we have signed to this treaty then we need to hold the Government to accounts on this.

Action plan:

No child put up with any form of Under The Tree form of education from next year. Ghana signed up to the UN Convention on the Right of the Child (UNCRC) treaty on 29th Jan 1990. Therefore community leaders should be encouraged to rise up and challenge parliament and demand answers as to why Under The Tree is operating because this contradict statements in the Treaty therefore not an acceptable practice.

No community should feel or think that they are less fortunate. No they aren’t.

The Minister of Finance new Budget Statement, failed to address the inequality that exists in our country. Previous Governments have also continued to violate the basic human rights of children and young families thus leaving them vulnerable, timid and unable to challenge.