UNICEF and KOICA support education and health

The Ghana Office of the Korean International Co-operation Agency (KOICA), in collaboration with the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), has launched a $4.5 million project for Human Development through Life Cycle Approach at Bolgatanga.

A statement issued by UNICEF in Accra and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday said, KOICA is partnering for two and a half years with UNICEF and the Government of Ghana to support new born care, pre-school education, teacher training and HIV awareness in the Upper East and Northern Regions.

The statement said KOICA Resident Representative in Ghana Mr. Cho Kwang-Geol met with Mr Daniel Syme, Deputy Upper East Regional Minister as part of the visit, to discuss the implementation of the life cycle programme, which aims to break the cycle of poverty that created and recreated undernourished infants, poorly educated young children, marginalised adolescents, and unsafe and young motherhood.

“In the Upper East Region, more than three out of every 100 babies die in their first month of life (Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2011). Pass rates in the Basic Education Certificate Examination have fallen by an average of more than 30% in Maths, Science and English between 2007 and 2011 in the Upper East Region (Education Management Information System 2007, 2011),” it said.

According to the statement, Susan Namondo Ngongi, UNICEF Ghana Country Representative said the Korean support would help the Government of Ghana to provide the best possible start for children in their early years, a good quality basic education for every child, and an enabling environment for adolescents as they developed their capacities.

“Districts in the Upper East and Northern regions are among the most deprived in terms of quality education and the survival of newborns.

The programme works to increase access to pre-school education, improve teaching and learning and equip adolescent students with appropriate life skills, including HIV prevention and reproductive health.

It also focuses on improving newborn care for babies in their first month of life, it said.

The statement quoted Mr. Cho Kwang-Geol as saying that UNICEF’s Life Cycle Approach was aligned with Saemaul Undong (SMU), the Korean Integrated Rural Development Approach namely, New Village Movement in a way of providing tailor-made solutions and keeping the sustainable development.

“With the slogan of SMU spirit; diligence, self-reliance and cooperation, solidarity in community has been reinforced,”.

To build people’s solidarity through community spirit can tackle current social problems such as disparity, isolation, unemployment, and ageing issues, the statement said.”