The Principal of the Catholic Social Advanced Institute,Ms Rosa Mamaa Sam, has called on the government to extend support from the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to private schools.
She said just like those in the public schools, students in private schools were also Ghanaians who would eventually contribute to the development of the country on completion of their studies.
Ms Sam made the call at a lecture on Value Added Tax (VAT) for students of the Catholic Social Advanced Institute in Accra on Thursday.
She said many private schools were in financial distress because they had not been benefiting from the proceeds of the GETFund.
The situation, she said, had compelled some of the private schools to charge exorbitant fees to make up for the resources required to train the students and manage the school.
An official of the VAT office, Mrs Anita Araba Wilson, said if students were educated on the importance of paying tax, problems that the service encountered with some adults who deliberately refused to pay tax could be curbed.
She said the reason for choosing students as the target group for the education was because students had a greater influence on the society.
She explained that some adults did not know the essence of paying tax and the contribution of taxes towards the development of the country.
Mrs Wilson advised the students to encourage their parents to pay tax and also insist on an invoice whenever they bought from any authorised VAT dealer.
With her was the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Adabraka Branch of the VAT, Mr Welbeck Asare Asamoah, and Mr Ekow Ampofo, a resource person with the company.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Aburi Girls launches Endowment Fund
ABURI Girls Senior High School (SHS) has launched an endowment fund to assist needy students of the school who are unable to afford their fees.
The fund is also meant to take care of infrastructural development for teachers in the school.
Speaking at the launch of the fund at a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting at the school over the weekend, the Headmistress of the school, Mrs Sylvia Asempa, said financial difficulties mostly affected students emotionally, psychologically and academically.
She said the fund was also to ensure that such unfortunate students were provided with the necessary materials for them to have undisrupted studies.
Mrs Asempa added that inadequate infrastructure and lack of teaching materials normally affected a teacher’s performance in the classroom thus, causing a decline in the academic performance of students.
She said provision of adequate teaching materials and facilities would not only motivate the teachers to offer their best, but would also create a congenial atmosphere for the teachers residing on campus.
She said if the fund was well serviced by all parents, payment of PTA dues might be reduced or cancelled completely.
The headmistress debunked the notion that the school was about to close down, due to severe water shortage as was reported by some media houses in the country, but was quick to add that the fund would alleviate the perennial water problem facing the school.
She reminded parents to pay their children’s fees on time in order to avoid the risk of being sacked to go back home for their fees.
Mrs Asempa, therefore, appealed to the government, parents, the Old Students Association, and the general public to support the initiative.
For his part, the PTA Chairman, Professor Lewis Enu-Kwesi, said in order to achieve quality SHS education in the country, there was the need to provide the requisite resources for it to be achieved.
He explained that the resources included adequate infrastructure, qualified teachers and non-teaching staff.
He said the solution to achieving quality SHS education did not lie in the number of years spent in school by students, but rather in the provision of requisite materials for effective teaching and learning.
"The expenditure to be incurred as an additional cost in the provision of classroom, dormitory space, library space, hiring of additional teachers and dining room space must be ploughed into finding permanent solutions to the actual constraints in implementing our educational reforms. Extension of the current SHS system by one more year will certainly be a disaster for Ghana," he added.
In a speech read on behalf of the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, he said the initiative was perfectly in tune with the government's manifesto of investing in the human resource of the nation and making quality education accessible to all children.
He commended the PTA for the initiative and assured them of government support to ensure that the school achieved its aim.
The fund is also meant to take care of infrastructural development for teachers in the school.
Speaking at the launch of the fund at a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting at the school over the weekend, the Headmistress of the school, Mrs Sylvia Asempa, said financial difficulties mostly affected students emotionally, psychologically and academically.
She said the fund was also to ensure that such unfortunate students were provided with the necessary materials for them to have undisrupted studies.
Mrs Asempa added that inadequate infrastructure and lack of teaching materials normally affected a teacher’s performance in the classroom thus, causing a decline in the academic performance of students.
She said provision of adequate teaching materials and facilities would not only motivate the teachers to offer their best, but would also create a congenial atmosphere for the teachers residing on campus.
She said if the fund was well serviced by all parents, payment of PTA dues might be reduced or cancelled completely.
The headmistress debunked the notion that the school was about to close down, due to severe water shortage as was reported by some media houses in the country, but was quick to add that the fund would alleviate the perennial water problem facing the school.
She reminded parents to pay their children’s fees on time in order to avoid the risk of being sacked to go back home for their fees.
Mrs Asempa, therefore, appealed to the government, parents, the Old Students Association, and the general public to support the initiative.
For his part, the PTA Chairman, Professor Lewis Enu-Kwesi, said in order to achieve quality SHS education in the country, there was the need to provide the requisite resources for it to be achieved.
He explained that the resources included adequate infrastructure, qualified teachers and non-teaching staff.
He said the solution to achieving quality SHS education did not lie in the number of years spent in school by students, but rather in the provision of requisite materials for effective teaching and learning.
"The expenditure to be incurred as an additional cost in the provision of classroom, dormitory space, library space, hiring of additional teachers and dining room space must be ploughed into finding permanent solutions to the actual constraints in implementing our educational reforms. Extension of the current SHS system by one more year will certainly be a disaster for Ghana," he added.
In a speech read on behalf of the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, he said the initiative was perfectly in tune with the government's manifesto of investing in the human resource of the nation and making quality education accessible to all children.
He commended the PTA for the initiative and assured them of government support to ensure that the school achieved its aim.
Ashesi University holds graduation ceremony
ASHESI University College has held a graduation ceremony for 55 of its students at the Burma Camp Hall in Accra to usher them into a new phase of life.
The graduation ceremony marked a turning point in the lives of the new graduands, and the end of classroom work and the beginning of working life.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ms Joyce Aryee who was the guest speaker said life outside school would be difficult but the greatest failure in life was to stop trying.
She said it was pathetic to realise that most students lose confidence during difficult times particularly when they found it difficult getting money to pay their fees for the semesters and said that nothing could be achieved without courage and determination. The job market is such that a new graduate has to struggle in order to secure a job, she added.
"My dear graduands, in my line of profession as a communicator, and generally in life, it pays to be on top, to be prepared, to be impactful, to be on time and also to work with a passion for excellence. These are some of the traits I developed in my days at the university. You will soon find out that the experiences you had in school and the lessons you have learned from your seemingly hardhearted lecturers will come in handy as you enter the corporate world", she said.
The President and Founder of the university, Mr Patrick Awuah said, the greatest human achievements were made by those who endeavoured in the face of enormous risks, those who had the curiousity to explore the unknown and those who were afraid to challenge the status quo.
“The Ashesi education has provided you an experience, in an out of the classroom, that has nurtured many of these qualities. The intensity of the academic programe here has pushed you to keep striving in the face of difficulty. The selection of courses and our teaching approach have helped to sharpen your sense of curiosity, your ability to synthesise complex information and your ability to craft novel solutions to new problems”.
"By doing community service, you discovered first hand, some of the most pressing problems confronting your society, as well as your ability to make meaningful contribution in addressing those problems. You learned the privilege of service”, he said.
He said there was no doubt there was risk involved with the institutions current path and added that there were greater potentials to create an institution whose very fabric nurtured the sort of enlightened leaders that Africa needed.
Mr Awuah encouraged the graduates to rise up in order to be counted among their fellows who have been able to attain higher goals in life.
The university, which began instruction in March 2002 with a pioneer class of 30 students, has quickly gained a reputation for innovation and quality education in Ghana.
The graduation ceremony marked a turning point in the lives of the new graduands, and the end of classroom work and the beginning of working life.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ms Joyce Aryee who was the guest speaker said life outside school would be difficult but the greatest failure in life was to stop trying.
She said it was pathetic to realise that most students lose confidence during difficult times particularly when they found it difficult getting money to pay their fees for the semesters and said that nothing could be achieved without courage and determination. The job market is such that a new graduate has to struggle in order to secure a job, she added.
"My dear graduands, in my line of profession as a communicator, and generally in life, it pays to be on top, to be prepared, to be impactful, to be on time and also to work with a passion for excellence. These are some of the traits I developed in my days at the university. You will soon find out that the experiences you had in school and the lessons you have learned from your seemingly hardhearted lecturers will come in handy as you enter the corporate world", she said.
The President and Founder of the university, Mr Patrick Awuah said, the greatest human achievements were made by those who endeavoured in the face of enormous risks, those who had the curiousity to explore the unknown and those who were afraid to challenge the status quo.
“The Ashesi education has provided you an experience, in an out of the classroom, that has nurtured many of these qualities. The intensity of the academic programe here has pushed you to keep striving in the face of difficulty. The selection of courses and our teaching approach have helped to sharpen your sense of curiosity, your ability to synthesise complex information and your ability to craft novel solutions to new problems”.
"By doing community service, you discovered first hand, some of the most pressing problems confronting your society, as well as your ability to make meaningful contribution in addressing those problems. You learned the privilege of service”, he said.
He said there was no doubt there was risk involved with the institutions current path and added that there were greater potentials to create an institution whose very fabric nurtured the sort of enlightened leaders that Africa needed.
Mr Awuah encouraged the graduates to rise up in order to be counted among their fellows who have been able to attain higher goals in life.
The university, which began instruction in March 2002 with a pioneer class of 30 students, has quickly gained a reputation for innovation and quality education in Ghana.
Malaria awareness launched at L&A School
TWENTY volunteers from the City University of New York, have launched a malaria awareness programme dubbed ‘Teachers against Malaria Epidemic’ at the Lilian and Abraham (L&A) Memorial Primary and Junior High School in Accra.
The volunteers are currently in the country to educate school children and their parents on the need to use mosquito treated nets. They would also provide the schools with some treated mosquito nets.
The group had earlier visited the University of Ghana, Legon and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and would be visiting some other schools in the country on a similar programme.
The volunteers would team up with teachers in the schools they visit to execute the programme.
At the L&A Memorial Primary School, the volunteers advised the teachers to ensure that the children were put in treated mosquito nets before they went to bed.
They advised the pupils to keep their environment clean to prevent them from falling sick due to sanitation problems.
The Headteacher of the School, Mr Stephen Donkor, said with the onset of the rains, people should keep their environments clean because mosquitoes which caused malaria bred in water which has gathered in ponds, holes, empty cans, among others.
He advised parents to let their children sleep in insecticide treated nets to prevent malaria.
Picture: The volunteers in a group picture after the programme.
The volunteers are currently in the country to educate school children and their parents on the need to use mosquito treated nets. They would also provide the schools with some treated mosquito nets.
The group had earlier visited the University of Ghana, Legon and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and would be visiting some other schools in the country on a similar programme.
The volunteers would team up with teachers in the schools they visit to execute the programme.
At the L&A Memorial Primary School, the volunteers advised the teachers to ensure that the children were put in treated mosquito nets before they went to bed.
They advised the pupils to keep their environment clean to prevent them from falling sick due to sanitation problems.
The Headteacher of the School, Mr Stephen Donkor, said with the onset of the rains, people should keep their environments clean because mosquitoes which caused malaria bred in water which has gathered in ponds, holes, empty cans, among others.
He advised parents to let their children sleep in insecticide treated nets to prevent malaria.
Picture: The volunteers in a group picture after the programme.
Stratcomm launches reading programme for pupils
Strategic Communications Africa Limited ( Stratcomm Africa) has launched a four-week reading programme for pupils of the Junior High School of the Kanda Cluster of Schools in Accra.
The programme, which forms part of activities to mark the company’s 15th anniversary celebrations, is expected to improve and enrich the reading and writing habits of the pupils.
The theme for the programme is “Raising the Bar in the Communication Industry in Ghana and Africa”.
Addressing the pupils at the launch in Accra last Friday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Ms Esther Cobbah, said poor communication often created misunderstanding, which often led to conflicts.
She said some people got frustrated whenever they were unable to express themselves and explained that since an act could become a habit and later develop into a character, it was important for children to be guided to enable them to develop excellent reading habits.
“As you read more and get better at it, you will no doubt attain a greater command of the English language but will also increase your own confidence as a human being,” she said.
“Reading is one of the things in life that you simply have to do more if you want to get better at it. For us reading is not only part of a child’s welfare but also a critical element in the process of national development,” she said.
Ms Cobbah pledged her company’s support to eradicate illiteracy in the country, as well as promote child welfare, by making contributions to education in Ghana.
The programme, which forms part of activities to mark the company’s 15th anniversary celebrations, is expected to improve and enrich the reading and writing habits of the pupils.
The theme for the programme is “Raising the Bar in the Communication Industry in Ghana and Africa”.
Addressing the pupils at the launch in Accra last Friday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the company, Ms Esther Cobbah, said poor communication often created misunderstanding, which often led to conflicts.
She said some people got frustrated whenever they were unable to express themselves and explained that since an act could become a habit and later develop into a character, it was important for children to be guided to enable them to develop excellent reading habits.
“As you read more and get better at it, you will no doubt attain a greater command of the English language but will also increase your own confidence as a human being,” she said.
“Reading is one of the things in life that you simply have to do more if you want to get better at it. For us reading is not only part of a child’s welfare but also a critical element in the process of national development,” she said.
Ms Cobbah pledged her company’s support to eradicate illiteracy in the country, as well as promote child welfare, by making contributions to education in Ghana.
Write more sign language books - Educationist
The former acting Director of the Special Education Division of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mrs Dinah Kwadade, has urged authors to produce more sign language books for the deaf in order to raise their educational level.
She said because the deaf were unable to build enough language to function effectively in the educational set up, majority of them remained at the basic level.
Mrs Kwadade said this at the launch of four sign language books for the deaf in Accra last Tuesday. The books are My First Book of sign, Sign With Me My Book of Fruits and Vegetables, Bibo My Friend and Abu Goes to School
She said while a child without disabilities entered school at an early age with thousands of words and an understanding of his or her immediate environment, the deaf child entered school with a language deficit.
She said the only means of communication for such deprived children was by gestures which were only able to communicate the most basic information, and added that "knowledge and understanding of his environment and the wider world is very limited".
She advised parents to use sign language with their children immediately deafness was confirmed.
Mrs Kwadade who is also the author of some sign language books presented some of her books to the GES.
She observed that lack of information about persons with disabilities and their capabilities in books and other reading materials was discriminatory and as such did not promote the inclusion of such persons into mainstream society.
She said one way to dispel the myth and fear of disability was to read more about them and therefore advised the general public that disability was not contagious.
She expressed the hope that her books would improve the educational levels of the students.
The President of the Ghana Association of the Deaf, Mr Samuel Asare, said one major challenge that faced persons with disabilities was discrimination.
He said it was unfortunate that most teachers in schools for the deaf had difficulty in using sign language which was the natural language of the deaf.
He encouraged deaf children to use their sign books effectively to help improve their literacy and knowledge acquisition.
Mr Asare expressed the belief that the books would be of immense benefit to schools.
He appealed to the general public to assist deaf schools with educational materials.
She said because the deaf were unable to build enough language to function effectively in the educational set up, majority of them remained at the basic level.
Mrs Kwadade said this at the launch of four sign language books for the deaf in Accra last Tuesday. The books are My First Book of sign, Sign With Me My Book of Fruits and Vegetables, Bibo My Friend and Abu Goes to School
She said while a child without disabilities entered school at an early age with thousands of words and an understanding of his or her immediate environment, the deaf child entered school with a language deficit.
She said the only means of communication for such deprived children was by gestures which were only able to communicate the most basic information, and added that "knowledge and understanding of his environment and the wider world is very limited".
She advised parents to use sign language with their children immediately deafness was confirmed.
Mrs Kwadade who is also the author of some sign language books presented some of her books to the GES.
She observed that lack of information about persons with disabilities and their capabilities in books and other reading materials was discriminatory and as such did not promote the inclusion of such persons into mainstream society.
She said one way to dispel the myth and fear of disability was to read more about them and therefore advised the general public that disability was not contagious.
She expressed the hope that her books would improve the educational levels of the students.
The President of the Ghana Association of the Deaf, Mr Samuel Asare, said one major challenge that faced persons with disabilities was discrimination.
He said it was unfortunate that most teachers in schools for the deaf had difficulty in using sign language which was the natural language of the deaf.
He encouraged deaf children to use their sign books effectively to help improve their literacy and knowledge acquisition.
Mr Asare expressed the belief that the books would be of immense benefit to schools.
He appealed to the general public to assist deaf schools with educational materials.
Migration
Participants in a workshop on child and youth migration in West Africa have called on governments in the sub-region to develop policies that would ensure the safety and welfare of domestic female workers in their respective countries.
Additionally, they called for special programmes to protect the rights and interests of children who migrated from their countries of origin to work in other countries.
The workshop was organised by the Centre for Migration Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon to disseminate findings of the studies conducted by researchers from selected universities and institutions and the Anglophone and Francophone countries in West Africa.
The purpose of the workshop was to bring together Francophone and Anglophone researchers and child rights advocates from research institutes whose main concerns are to understand and support mobile young people including children.
The Head of the Centre for Migration Studies, Dr Mariama Awumbila, said the migration of young people had been a neglected area of research, although recent work by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UNICEF had begun to change it.
She said the study was therefore aimed at asking child migrants about their motives and experiences to frame appropriate responses that simultaneously allowed them to participate fully in society and meet their specific needs as working migrants.
In a presentation by Dorte Thorsen, a researcher from the University of Sussex, she said despite the fact that young migrants became acutely aware of their marginalised position in the urban space within a very short time of their arrival, they learnt the necessary tactics and strategies to bypass some of the obstacles.
She said such child migrants were preoccupied with the goal of earning money and living like those in the informal economy but the problems they faced with kin and non-kin employers made them wary of patron-client relationships.
She said although these types of relationships operated on a low level in all informal employment relationships, such children constantly balanced the advantage of having paid work with the risk of being cheated.
Dorte Thorsen said such children were quick to move on in a new employment or independent petty services such as shoe-shinning or porterage, popularly known as ‘kayayoo’, at the least suspicion.
Melanie Jacquemin, a researcher from the Centre d’Etudes Africaines in Paris, also said temporary migration among young women and girls to undertake domestic work in West Africa was not a consistent trend.
He said the recent introduction of wage system for young domestic workers had given a market value to the work and price value to the person undertaking it.
He, therefore, highlighted the need to undertake in-depth, qualitative and quantitative research into the issue of child and youth domestic workers in order to know what had become of ex-young migrant workers and the reasons for the varying employment paths.
Additionally, they called for special programmes to protect the rights and interests of children who migrated from their countries of origin to work in other countries.
The workshop was organised by the Centre for Migration Studies of the University of Ghana, Legon to disseminate findings of the studies conducted by researchers from selected universities and institutions and the Anglophone and Francophone countries in West Africa.
The purpose of the workshop was to bring together Francophone and Anglophone researchers and child rights advocates from research institutes whose main concerns are to understand and support mobile young people including children.
The Head of the Centre for Migration Studies, Dr Mariama Awumbila, said the migration of young people had been a neglected area of research, although recent work by the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and UNICEF had begun to change it.
She said the study was therefore aimed at asking child migrants about their motives and experiences to frame appropriate responses that simultaneously allowed them to participate fully in society and meet their specific needs as working migrants.
In a presentation by Dorte Thorsen, a researcher from the University of Sussex, she said despite the fact that young migrants became acutely aware of their marginalised position in the urban space within a very short time of their arrival, they learnt the necessary tactics and strategies to bypass some of the obstacles.
She said such child migrants were preoccupied with the goal of earning money and living like those in the informal economy but the problems they faced with kin and non-kin employers made them wary of patron-client relationships.
She said although these types of relationships operated on a low level in all informal employment relationships, such children constantly balanced the advantage of having paid work with the risk of being cheated.
Dorte Thorsen said such children were quick to move on in a new employment or independent petty services such as shoe-shinning or porterage, popularly known as ‘kayayoo’, at the least suspicion.
Melanie Jacquemin, a researcher from the Centre d’Etudes Africaines in Paris, also said temporary migration among young women and girls to undertake domestic work in West Africa was not a consistent trend.
He said the recent introduction of wage system for young domestic workers had given a market value to the work and price value to the person undertaking it.
He, therefore, highlighted the need to undertake in-depth, qualitative and quantitative research into the issue of child and youth domestic workers in order to know what had become of ex-young migrant workers and the reasons for the varying employment paths.
NYEP to mobilise youth for development
THE National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) is to be reviewed to serve as an instrument for mobilising and energising the youth for national development.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, said such an exercise called for changes not only within the institutions spearheading the youth development agenda, but also the legal and policy framework that would ensure that the object set for the development of the youth were achieved and sustained.
Alhaji Mubarak, who made this known at a youth forum on the status of the National Youth Policy and the way forward in Accra, said there was the need to work on modern and development-oriented law on the youth to pave way for progress in the sector.
He said the present legal arrangement or instrument guiding the formation and management of various youth groups and the National Youth Council (NYC) had become dormant and could no longer sustain the present momentum to achieve much progress.
One significant item that was being considered in the new bill, he said was the setting up of a commission on youth, which he believed would give the NYC the autonomy necessary to function appropriately.
He said the NYEP was an important element that engaged the youth meaningfully in various facets of national development.
The Programmes Co-ordinator of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Mr Danaa Nantogmah, said a national youth policy to guide the development of young people in the country remained a challenge despite attempts by successive governments to formulate a national youth policy.
Mr Nantogmah was optimistic that the government would provide more opportunities to engage the youth in the decision-making process at both national and local levels.
The Executive Director of the Youth Network for Human Rights and Democracy in Ghana, Mr Prosper Hoetu, said if Ghanaians wanted a society of progress where there would be responsible citizenship, reduced unemployment rates, reduced crimes and anti-social activities, then there was the need for the government to invest in the youth through strategic and integrated interventions.
The Minister of Youth and Sports, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, said such an exercise called for changes not only within the institutions spearheading the youth development agenda, but also the legal and policy framework that would ensure that the object set for the development of the youth were achieved and sustained.
Alhaji Mubarak, who made this known at a youth forum on the status of the National Youth Policy and the way forward in Accra, said there was the need to work on modern and development-oriented law on the youth to pave way for progress in the sector.
He said the present legal arrangement or instrument guiding the formation and management of various youth groups and the National Youth Council (NYC) had become dormant and could no longer sustain the present momentum to achieve much progress.
One significant item that was being considered in the new bill, he said was the setting up of a commission on youth, which he believed would give the NYC the autonomy necessary to function appropriately.
He said the NYEP was an important element that engaged the youth meaningfully in various facets of national development.
The Programmes Co-ordinator of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, Mr Danaa Nantogmah, said a national youth policy to guide the development of young people in the country remained a challenge despite attempts by successive governments to formulate a national youth policy.
Mr Nantogmah was optimistic that the government would provide more opportunities to engage the youth in the decision-making process at both national and local levels.
The Executive Director of the Youth Network for Human Rights and Democracy in Ghana, Mr Prosper Hoetu, said if Ghanaians wanted a society of progress where there would be responsible citizenship, reduced unemployment rates, reduced crimes and anti-social activities, then there was the need for the government to invest in the youth through strategic and integrated interventions.
Sky Kids
PLANET Kids, a channel on Sky Digital Television, last Friday presented a decoder to the Minister of Women and Children’s Affairs, Ms Akua Sena Dansua, in her office in Accra.
The presentation was to enable the minister to watch the children’s channel.
The decoder was presented by five children who feature on the channel regularly.
In an interaction with the children, Ms Dansua said she was not in favour of the abolition of extra classes in schools,
arguing that extra classes gave “slow learners” the opportunity to catch up with classmates who understood faster what was taught by teachers.
She, however, added that the current Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, was a very qualified and competent minister and might have very good reasons for calling for the abolition of extra classes.
The children sought to know what plans were available to renovate the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park. They also suggested the creation of a holiday for kids.
Ms Dansua said a private investor had initiated moves to renovate and convert the park into a first-class one and said she would ensure that gate fees were moderate when the renovation was done.
Regarding the holiday for schoolchildren, the minister said it was not necessary because kids benefited from all holidays, such as Independence Day, March 6 and Republic Day, July 1. She added that there was no tangible reason why a holiday should be set aside for kids.
Picture 1: Ms Sena Dansua (left), the Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, receiving the decoder from the children from Planet Kids. Looking on is Mr George Laing, the Channel Manager of Planet Kids.
Picture 2: Ms Sena Dansua, the Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, in a group picture with the children from Planet Kids. With them is Mr George Laing, the Channel Manager of Planet Kids.
The presentation was to enable the minister to watch the children’s channel.
The decoder was presented by five children who feature on the channel regularly.
In an interaction with the children, Ms Dansua said she was not in favour of the abolition of extra classes in schools,
arguing that extra classes gave “slow learners” the opportunity to catch up with classmates who understood faster what was taught by teachers.
She, however, added that the current Minister of Education, Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, was a very qualified and competent minister and might have very good reasons for calling for the abolition of extra classes.
The children sought to know what plans were available to renovate the Efua Sutherland Children’s Park. They also suggested the creation of a holiday for kids.
Ms Dansua said a private investor had initiated moves to renovate and convert the park into a first-class one and said she would ensure that gate fees were moderate when the renovation was done.
Regarding the holiday for schoolchildren, the minister said it was not necessary because kids benefited from all holidays, such as Independence Day, March 6 and Republic Day, July 1. She added that there was no tangible reason why a holiday should be set aside for kids.
Picture 1: Ms Sena Dansua (left), the Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, receiving the decoder from the children from Planet Kids. Looking on is Mr George Laing, the Channel Manager of Planet Kids.
Picture 2: Ms Sena Dansua, the Minister of Women and Children's Affairs, in a group picture with the children from Planet Kids. With them is Mr George Laing, the Channel Manager of Planet Kids.
Cuban Medical Brigade holds scientific workshop
THE 10th national scientific workshop of the Cuban Medical Brigade in Ghana has been held in Accra.
It afforded Cuban doctors the opportunity to take stock of their contribution to healthcare delivery in the country.
Furthermore, the scientific session was intended for the doctors to discuss their research findings and make recommendations to the Ministry of Health for consideration and action.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kumbuor, who addressed the opening session, commended Cuban medical officers for their immense contribution to healthcare delivery in the country.
Currently, there are 200 Cuban doctors working in mostly rural communities where most Ghanaian doctors are unwilling to serve.
The Minister said apart from providing clinical services at the various health facilities in the country, the Cuban medical officers also undertook outreach programmes to extend medical services to many villages, particularly in the Northern Region.
Dr Kumbuor said it was heart-warming to recognise the crucial role being played by these medical officers who accepted posting to very remote areas of the country
He said Cuban medical officers had, indeed, proved to be good ambassadors of the Republic of Cuba since Ghana signed a joint co-operation with the Cuban government in April 1982 to assist Ghana to improve its healthcare delivery when 17 health specialists were brought into the country.
He explained that the number of Cuban medical officers increased to 54 in 1994, 62 in 1999 and 138 in 2000 and indicated that the current staff strength of the Cuban medical officers was 200, adding, “It is our hope that the figure will increase in the near future.”
Dr Kumbuor said the government of Cuba had, over the years, offered scholarships for Ghanaians to study various courses in Cuba and indicated that Cuba still incurred huge expenses annually to train doctors to supplement Ghana’s efforts at providing quality healthcare services for Ghanaians.
The National Co-ordinator of the Cuban Medical Brigade, Dr Felipe Delgado Bustillo, said the workshop was an annual event for Cuban medical officers to take stock of their contribution to healthcare delivery in Ghana.
He said the medical officers had been posted to all 10 regions of the country where they undertook research in the hospitals or clinics and their findings submitted to their colleagues and the Ministry of Health for discussion and action.
He commended the government and the Ministry of Health for their immense contribution the Cuban Medical Brigade.
It afforded Cuban doctors the opportunity to take stock of their contribution to healthcare delivery in the country.
Furthermore, the scientific session was intended for the doctors to discuss their research findings and make recommendations to the Ministry of Health for consideration and action.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Dr Benjamin Kumbuor, who addressed the opening session, commended Cuban medical officers for their immense contribution to healthcare delivery in the country.
Currently, there are 200 Cuban doctors working in mostly rural communities where most Ghanaian doctors are unwilling to serve.
The Minister said apart from providing clinical services at the various health facilities in the country, the Cuban medical officers also undertook outreach programmes to extend medical services to many villages, particularly in the Northern Region.
Dr Kumbuor said it was heart-warming to recognise the crucial role being played by these medical officers who accepted posting to very remote areas of the country
He said Cuban medical officers had, indeed, proved to be good ambassadors of the Republic of Cuba since Ghana signed a joint co-operation with the Cuban government in April 1982 to assist Ghana to improve its healthcare delivery when 17 health specialists were brought into the country.
He explained that the number of Cuban medical officers increased to 54 in 1994, 62 in 1999 and 138 in 2000 and indicated that the current staff strength of the Cuban medical officers was 200, adding, “It is our hope that the figure will increase in the near future.”
Dr Kumbuor said the government of Cuba had, over the years, offered scholarships for Ghanaians to study various courses in Cuba and indicated that Cuba still incurred huge expenses annually to train doctors to supplement Ghana’s efforts at providing quality healthcare services for Ghanaians.
The National Co-ordinator of the Cuban Medical Brigade, Dr Felipe Delgado Bustillo, said the workshop was an annual event for Cuban medical officers to take stock of their contribution to healthcare delivery in Ghana.
He said the medical officers had been posted to all 10 regions of the country where they undertook research in the hospitals or clinics and their findings submitted to their colleagues and the Ministry of Health for discussion and action.
He commended the government and the Ministry of Health for their immense contribution the Cuban Medical Brigade.
FLIC
THE Minister for Youth and Sports, Alhaji Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, has advised parents to identify the talents in their children and help develop them.
He said the youth possessed qualities and ideas that if properly harnessed could help in the development of the country.
At the launch of the Future Leaders Investment Club (FLIC) in Accra on Wednesday, the minister said it was unfortunate that the great qualities possessed by the youth had not been effectively harnessed due to numerous constraints such as inadequate education and training and unemployment.
He said the government had put in measures to establish a firm basis for an appropriate youth development agenda to improve the living conditions of the youth.
Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak observed that in order to create the necessary environment to promote youth activities, there was the need to enact a workable and scientific National Youth Council Law.
He said the existing law governing the operation of youth activities was outmoded and out of tune with modern and scientific youth activities.
The minister said currently, the World Assembly of Youth (WAY) and the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) had come out with practical and appropriate approaches to youth work that needed to be factored into the law.
He indicated that the ministry had a draft Youth Bill that it intended circulating to youth organisations and other stakeholders to be subjected to scrutiny by stakeholders in order to fashion out a more dynamic and realistic bill to enhance the ministry’s operations.
He said it was the intention of the government to empower the youth to enable them to meet their own challenges and solve them, adding that “this we hope to do by the creation and sustenance of the enabling conditions for young people to act on their own instead of relying on others to determine their welfare”.
Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak observed that while opportunities for wage employment were not available in Ghana, the youth had tremendous potential for self-employment through entrepreneurial activities.
He explained that micro-credit schemes that provided business loans, training and advisory services and other initiatives designed to help the youth had proven to be more effective strategies for job creation and youth empowerment.
He commended the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FLIC, Mr Emmanuel Dei-Tumi, for the initiative and hoped that the club would not only provide the start-up capital for members to invest in businesses of their choice, but would provide members with the necessary skills and knowledge to enable them to succeed in their respective ventures.
The Managing Director of GLICO Life Insurance Company, Mr Kwame Achampong-Kyei, said savings and investment was very important in a nation’s development, since it was the first stage in capital formation.
He said Ghanaians were currently witnessing an unprecedented insatiable desire of the youth to get rich and financially independent through unfortunate dubious means such as internet fraud, popularly known as “sakawa”.
“It is a very good thing for the youth of this country to desire for wealth but these riches must be attained through the adoption of an obsessive savings culture, which must be inculcated in them right from school,” he said.
He explained that members of the club would be covered by insurance and would be adequately compensated in case of any misfortune.
The CEO of the club, Mr Emmanuel Dei-Tumi, said the main aim of the club was to create a platform for young people to be able to invest towards their future.
He believed that young people who were determined to have a better future would join the club and hoped that by December, this year the club would have 20,000 subscribers.
Picture: Some students registering to join the club after the programme.
Picture saved on machine 139 as FLIC
He said the youth possessed qualities and ideas that if properly harnessed could help in the development of the country.
At the launch of the Future Leaders Investment Club (FLIC) in Accra on Wednesday, the minister said it was unfortunate that the great qualities possessed by the youth had not been effectively harnessed due to numerous constraints such as inadequate education and training and unemployment.
He said the government had put in measures to establish a firm basis for an appropriate youth development agenda to improve the living conditions of the youth.
Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak observed that in order to create the necessary environment to promote youth activities, there was the need to enact a workable and scientific National Youth Council Law.
He said the existing law governing the operation of youth activities was outmoded and out of tune with modern and scientific youth activities.
The minister said currently, the World Assembly of Youth (WAY) and the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) had come out with practical and appropriate approaches to youth work that needed to be factored into the law.
He indicated that the ministry had a draft Youth Bill that it intended circulating to youth organisations and other stakeholders to be subjected to scrutiny by stakeholders in order to fashion out a more dynamic and realistic bill to enhance the ministry’s operations.
He said it was the intention of the government to empower the youth to enable them to meet their own challenges and solve them, adding that “this we hope to do by the creation and sustenance of the enabling conditions for young people to act on their own instead of relying on others to determine their welfare”.
Alhaji Mohammed Mubarak observed that while opportunities for wage employment were not available in Ghana, the youth had tremendous potential for self-employment through entrepreneurial activities.
He explained that micro-credit schemes that provided business loans, training and advisory services and other initiatives designed to help the youth had proven to be more effective strategies for job creation and youth empowerment.
He commended the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of FLIC, Mr Emmanuel Dei-Tumi, for the initiative and hoped that the club would not only provide the start-up capital for members to invest in businesses of their choice, but would provide members with the necessary skills and knowledge to enable them to succeed in their respective ventures.
The Managing Director of GLICO Life Insurance Company, Mr Kwame Achampong-Kyei, said savings and investment was very important in a nation’s development, since it was the first stage in capital formation.
He said Ghanaians were currently witnessing an unprecedented insatiable desire of the youth to get rich and financially independent through unfortunate dubious means such as internet fraud, popularly known as “sakawa”.
“It is a very good thing for the youth of this country to desire for wealth but these riches must be attained through the adoption of an obsessive savings culture, which must be inculcated in them right from school,” he said.
He explained that members of the club would be covered by insurance and would be adequately compensated in case of any misfortune.
The CEO of the club, Mr Emmanuel Dei-Tumi, said the main aim of the club was to create a platform for young people to be able to invest towards their future.
He believed that young people who were determined to have a better future would join the club and hoped that by December, this year the club would have 20,000 subscribers.
Picture: Some students registering to join the club after the programme.
Picture saved on machine 139 as FLIC
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