Minister commends pregnant candidate

The Deputy Minister for Health, Tina Naa Ayeley Mensah, has commended Janet Opokua, a pregnant student who is sitting the 2017 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) at New Gbawe Experimental School near Accra for her confidence.

“I am not happy that you are pregnant because our society abhors premarital sex among young boys and girls however my joy lies in the fact that you have not given up on yourself,” she remarked.

The candidate, whose pregnancy is six months old and hopes to be a soldier in the future, said she has adequately prepared for the examinations which begins on Monday June 5, 2017.

The Deputy Minister who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Weija-Gbawe Constituency in the Ga South Municipal Assembly in the Greater Accra Region encountered the candidate during her rounds to distribute 1500 Mathematical Sets and pens to BECE candidates in 29 public schools within her constituency (Weija-Gbawe) on Friday.

Embracing her in an affectionate hug, she urged the candidate to keep her spirit high so that her dreams to be a soldier will come into being. Speaking to the BECE candidates at New Gbawe Cluster of Schools, the MP urged them to sit up to the task and ensure that they score the best of grades to qualify for Senior High School.

She reminded them that the government’s Free SHS Programme begins with them so they must take advantage of it.

The Deputy Minister also assured them of her scholarship scheme for needy but brilliant students which she expected them to benefit from to continue their education.

The Unit Head for Education Management and Information Systems (EMIS) at the Ga South Municipal Education Directorate, Ramatu Gariba indicated that they were encouraged by the MP’s presentation to the candidates and assured that the teachers have invested into the candidates very well and were hopeful for best of results this year.

Janet Opokua who spoke to the DAILY GUIDE said her friends, teachers and the School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Coordinator were a great source of inspiration to her as their encouragements helped her to overcome the challenges related to her pregnancy.