Sagnarigu: Some children under the Child-Friendly Accountability Mechanism (CFAM) platform in the Sagnarigu and Kumbungu Districts have appealed to parents to prioritize the education of their children by providing their school needs. They called for an end to all forms of abuse against children such as child marriages, child labour, and neglect, stating that such abuse affected their well-being and development.
According to Ghana News Agency, this appeal was made through a communique read by Miss Ilham Maltiti Abdul-Aziz, a student, during the CFAM District Level Forum at Bognaayili in the Kumbungu District of the Northern Region. The communique also called for equal opportunities for all children at all levels to achieve their potentials.
The forum, attended by schoolchildren, parents, and representatives of some state institutions, including Ghana Education Service and chiefs, aimed to enable children to identify child protection gaps in their communities and advocate for ways to address them. It was organized by Markaz-Al-Bishara Child Development Programme (MABCDP) with support from Children Believe, an international non-governmental organization. The theme of the event was 'Curbing the Menace of School Drop Out: The Role of Parents, Caregivers and Duty-bearers in the Sagnarigu Municipality and Kumbungu District.'
As part of the forum, the children staged a drama to showcase the challenges they faced in their communities regarding access to education, which included the inability of parents to provide their educational needs, leading some to drop out of school and others becoming deviants in society. The communique expressed the children's commitment to being responsible and appealed to stakeholders and duty-bearers to provide educational services, health, shelter, justice delivery, and social services to help them reach their full potential in the future.
Madam Esenam Kavi De Souza, Country Director of Children Believe, whose speech was read on her behalf, stated that the organization exists to promote the welfare and development of children by giving them opportunities to exhibit their potentials. She condemned all forms of abuse, neglect, and discrimination against children and urged parents and stakeholders to provide the necessary support and guidance.
Mr Sulemana Yahaya, Kumbungu District Director of Education, whose speech was also read on his behalf during the forum, acknowledged the issues raised by the children and emphasized the need for all stakeholders to address the educational needs of their children consistently.