This year International Day of the Girl Child has been marked at Aburi in the Eastern Region with a call on stakeholders to increase girls’ participation in Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the country.
It was on the theme ‘’Digital generation-our generation: learning in the era of COVID-19.’’
The programme was under the auspices of the Girls’ Education Network in collaboration with Ghana Education Service, World Education, Girls’ Education Challenge and UKaid.
In attendance were Civil Society Organsations, students from Aburi Girls Senior High School(SHS), Adonteng SHS, Presbyterian Women College of Education, Diaspora Girls’ SHS andpupilsof Kiddy Care Development, all in the Eastern Region.
The Country Director, World Education Incorporated, Mrs Susan Adu-Aryee,said the day, October 11, annuallywas significant because it was used to raise awareness on issues facing girls internationally such as education, nutrition forced child marriage, legal rights and medical rights among others.
She appealed to ministries, departments, agencies and institutions to invest in interventions that would close the digital gender such as access to devices, connectivity and skills pathways for all girls and women for generations.
‘’We want to see more girls and women demystifying the notion that boys are more technologically inclined. We should begin to be curious about digital literacy, invest more in devices and applicants that will boost sales in business, support us to delve more into research and education and literacy get us hooked on devices and applications that will improve upon family income and the health and well-being of family members’’
The Country Director commended Government through the Ministry of Education for improving Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education for girls.
Mrs Adu Aryee assured the students that the members of the Girls Education Network would ensure that their voices, ideas and equity in digitisation were heard
The Director of Girls Education Unit and Convener of GEN, Mrs Benedicta Tenni-Seidu said the occasion was set aside in 2012 to discuss issues affecting the well being of girls, ensuring their rights were protected.
She called on stakeholders to collaborate to promote the wellbeing and rights of girls in the country.
The Municipal Director of Education, Akwapim South, Mr Mustapha Haruna Appiah, in his remarks stated COVID-19 related school closure affected more than one billion learners around the world where girls’ education advocates feared the worst of prolong school closures and lock downs affected girls’ health and well-being.
He said barriers to distance learning economic insecurity, food insecurity, gender-based violence and health risks of COVID-19 have all increased adolescent girls concerns and feelings of hopefulness about their own educational future.
Mr Appiah said government was constantly making investment in Information Technology to enhance digital development.
As part of the occasion some students went on a float on the streets of Aburi with placards with inscriptions such as ‘Girls must grow up in a world of opportunity, ’End child marriage’, ‘It is time to support our girl for a brighter future’ and ‘Girls need protection
Others were ‘Parents,Teachers help teenage mother to return to school’, ‘Early pregnancies has consequences’ and ‘Let’s make our community a better place for girls.
FROM ANITA NYARKO-YIRENKYI,ABURI
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