In commemorating the International Day of Education which was marked on Monday 24th January, the Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA), a UNESCO Category II Centre for West Africa, at UCC has reached out to basic schools around the university community.
The move was to sensitize students on the role of education in transforming their lives hence, the need for them to stay in school.
At the Imam Khomeini Islamic Junior High School at Amamoma, the Director-General of the Institute, Dr. Michael Boakye-Yiadom stressed the need for all to embrace education and reminded the pre-tertiary students that “education is key to progress, personal, national and community development”.
He also urged parents and teachers to continue being inspiration and role models for students in order to enhance educational standards in Ghana and beyond.
Following their interactions with the students, Dr. Boakye-Yiadom said they were impressed with the students’ ability to express themselves in English and local languages as well as their knowledge and vision of education for themselves and their communities.
There are concerns of rising cases of school drop-outs and in Ghana, financial constraints, the desire for quick money, teenage pregnancy, and peer influence have been identified as some of the causes.
Some students of Imam Khomeini shared their motivation for being in school.
One student said “I was about to leave school…but I have seen that when you go to school you get more skills; so I’m going to stay in school, go to the university and be a good person in future”
Another student said “…without education our aim will not come true…so we should learn hard and come to school every day so that we can achieve our goal”
“I made up my mind to be a mechanic but the teacher has changed my mind that I can go to the university to become a mechanical engineer,” said another student.
The headmaster of the school, on his part, expressed gratitude over the impact the visit by the IEPA will make on the learners.
Read also: World marks 4th International Day of Education today
Source: Rosemond Asmah/ATLFMNEWS
