Many children of school going age in Upper East not in School

It has been established that many children of school going age in the Upper East Region are not attending school.

This came to light when the “Convenient Learning and Strategic Solution on National Education (CLASS ONE) project” at the weekend graduated 1, 220 “out of school” children at separate functions at Navrongo and Kayoro Saboro both in the Kassena-Nankana East and Kassena-Nankana West districts.

The CLASS ONE project is a local NGO that aims at providing out-of-school children with basic literacy and numeracy skills to integrate into formal school for self development.

The children went through eight months of learning and were handled by facilitators on how to read, write and to do simple calculations in the Kassem Language. They are expected to be assisted to re-integrate into formal education.

Speaking at Cycle three graduation ceremonies at separate functions, the Project Director of CLASS ONE, Mr. Dennis C Chirawura, said the case of the two districts was just a tip of the iceberg, stressing, “this problem cuts across all the Districts in the Upper East Region and must be addressed”. He said with support from the School for Life and DFID since the project started in 2009, over 600 children aged eight to 14 had benefited from the project.

Mr. Chirawura said those who passed through the project over the years were excelling in the schools they had integrated in.

He appealed to District Assemblies to show interest by supporting the project to make a meaningful impact and to also provide more classrooms for the reintegration of the children to the formal education.

Mr. Adafula Aiden and Mr. Abalori Atio, Assembly Members of Namolo and Wura- Nangaliania respectively commended the management of the project and the sponsors and said it would boost the morale of the children to be reintegrated into formal school.