Government has been urged to make budgetary provision for the implementation of the Complementary Basic Education (CBE) Program. The CBE program, which is an initiative of School for Life (SFL) has, since its inception, enrolled over two thousands out-of-school children into the formal school system. However, there are over four hundred thousand school-going age children in Ghana who are still out of school.
The CBE program was initiated by SFL to help reduce the about one million children, who are not in school. After years of advocacy by SFL for government to adopt the CBE, the program has been adopted by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service.
The Education Ministry has set up a desk for CBE, with a steering technical committee for the implementation of the program.
Speaking at a durbar of Chiefs to mark the 20th anniversary of School for Life in Tamale, the Chairman of Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), the mother organization of SFL, Yani Gushie Naa, Professor Abukari Alhassan thanked the Dagbon traditional council and the foreign affairs ministry for the roles they have played in the formalization process of CBE.
Professor Abukari was hopeful that with CBE desk at the education ministry, the implementation process will be fastened because it is not only serving the three regions of the north but also the Afram plains in the greater Accra region.
Mr Stephen Adu,Ag deputy GES Director General
Delivery a topic;Complementary Basic Education: It’s prospects and challenges, the Acting Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Mr Stephen Adu lauded School for Life for its efforts in the education sector in Ghana.
Mr Adu said it is unfortunate that Ghana still has over 4 000 children out- of-school. He entreated schools to adopt varied teaching approaches in dealing with SFL learners who migrated from the literacy system to the formal system.
The main donor organization, the Department for International Development (DIFD), a United Kingdom government responsible for administering overseas aids support which will end in 201/2017.
The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service received support from UK DFID to implement the CBE programme to enroll 120,000 out-of-school children over the next three years (2012-2015). In year one, the programme will targeted 25,000 children, across four regions of the country: Upper East, Upper West, Northern, and Brong Ahafo. In all, 1,000 CBE classes were made available across the 35 target districts.
SFL programs Manager, Alhaji S.O Saaka
Programs Manager of School for Life, Alhaji S.O Saaka said over 51 formal schools have been established, with more than 200 dual desks provided to enhance teaching and learning.
Alhaji Saaka said beyond the SFL anniversary celebration, his outfit will be reinvigorated for more actions and expressed the hope that government will make budgetary provisions for the implementation of the.
The school for life manager also called on the community members to show commitment towards the implementation of the CBE program.
The celebration was on the theme; ‘CBE, its prospects and challenges for Ghana’.
The Chief of Kasuliyili, Kasuli Lana, Alhaji Yakubu Bukari who represented the Regent of Dagbon, the Kampakuya Naa Andani Yakubu Abdulai said even though SFL has done a lot, there are still children out of school and all efforts must made to get them in school.
He call on development partners to continue their efforts. He call for more public awareness on CBE program.
Tamale mayor, Alhaji Hanan Abdul Rahman Gundado
The Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, Alhaji Hanan Abdul Rahman Gundaado who represented the Northern regional minister, Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru Limuna commended School for Life for the trendmendeouse contribution in education in the north. Government policy he said is to equalized and decentralized education in Ghana and that government will continue to collaborate with development partners in the sector.
Alhaji Limuna said the improvement of girls and increase in enrollment in the region is a testimony of SFL and other NGOs efforts in the the education sector and urged them to continue their support.
education in the region is still facing challenges such as teenage pregnancy and migration of young girls to the south in search of none existing jobs.
Pagnaa given testimony about SFL
SFL beneficiaries who gave testimony about how they benefited from the program urged all stakeholders in education to show serious commitment to help thousands of out-of-school children. Salifu Osman Nasara and Pagnaa both professionals now pledge to use their experience with literacy clases in the region.
