Children abandon basic education for fishing in Nahum Cement
Scores of children, mainly boys between 10 and 16 years in Nahum Cement, a fishing community in the Krachi East Municipality, have abandoned a Complementary Basic Education (CBE) initiative in the community, to engage in fishing.
They claimed the CBE school system being held in a local Apostolic Church building in the community is ineffective and not appealing.
These came to light during a tour of some World Vision projects, a Community based Health Planning Services (CHPS) compound and a mechanised borehole in the lakeside community.
Mr Gabriel Addo, a teacher, said the children complained about the school’s environment and are unwilling to come to school. He added that, they tried to organise afternoon shifts for children who go fishing, but were unsuccessful.
Mr Logosu Bagini, Headman of the community said only 70 out of about 200 children of school going age were in school and attributed the situation to lack of school infrastructure and teachers.
He said the community struggled to get two teachers and the church hall last year to keep children in school because they could not walk over 12 kilometers to schools in other communities.
The Ghana News Agency (GNA) gathered that a handful of community members sent their wards to schools in Keta, Dambi and Nkwanta, while those learning under the CBE system, are said to be introduced by the Afram Plains Development Organization (APDO).
Eleven years old Kweku said he came from the Central Region to help his master in fishing and wished to be in school, but did not like the CBE system and the “church classroom.”
Mr Samuel Tseganu, Child Protection and Sponsorship Officer for World Visio, in the Krachi Cluster said his outfit was aware of children not being in school and fishing in the community and is working with the Department of Social Welfare and Community Development to stop the practice.
He said the community is not in World Vision’s programme implementation area, however efforts are being done to rescue the children.
Mr Kwasi Buapem, Krachi East Municipal Social Welfare and Community Development Officer said despite efforts to keep the children out of fishing, they were always at the lakeside.
Sources at the Municipal Education Office said reports were sent to the Ghana Education Service to regularise the CBE into government’s formal education system hopefully next year.
Mr Dzorgbenyui Kwadzo Banini, Krachi East Municipal Coordinating Director said the Assembly was deeply concerned about the situation and working on some claasroom blocks for the community after GES has absorbed the school.
The standard CHPS Compound by World Vision has a three unit accommodation facility for health staff and will serve 15 other communities with a population of about 16,000.
The facility also comes with a solar powered mechanised borehole and nine taps to serve 1,500 people at Nahum Cement.
Mr Augustine Nyaaba, World Vision Krachi Cluster Water, Sanitstion and Hygiene Programme Officer said apart from other interventions, the organization supported four communities to attain Open Defecation Free(ODF) status, constructed 15 latrines for basic schools and reduced bilharzia and other water borne diseases among children.
Source: GNA