The Ghana Education Service (GES) in partnership with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has marked this year’s ‘My First Day at School’ with a donation of learning materials to several schools across the country.
The exercise is held annually at the beginning of every academic year to welcome schoolchildren back to school, especially those entering crèche and kindergarten (KG) as well as those joining the mainstream school system at basic one, and is aimed at motivating the children to stay in school.
The Northern Regional Directorate of the GES, with support from UNICEF, in commemorating the Day this year presented different kinds of learning materials to schoolchildren in several schools across districts in the region.
Some of the items presented to the schoolchildren were exercise books, pencils, crayons, sharpeners, kits for storing pencils among others.
In addition, Staff of the Regional Assessment Unit (RAU) also did free health screenings for the children, focusing on their eyes, ears and intellectual capabilities to ensure they are fit for academic work.
Some of the schools visited by officials of GES were First November Basic School, Gurugu, and Kamina Barracks Basic School.
The Northern Regional Director of GES, Dr. Stephen Attafuah who led the team during the exercise, indicated that the exercise is meant to encourage the children to stay at school in order to focus on their education and develop their capabilities to become good future leaders.
He also commended teachers for their tremendous contribution toward nurturing the future leaders of the country, noting that the children’s future is in the hands of teachers; hence the Directorate’s commitment to make sure teachers are in good working condition.
He also urged parents to play their part and help bring up the children for a worthy cause, saying that children attending school regularly depends on their parents ability to see to it they are prepared for school every day – unless the child is sick.
He advised parents to whip-up the interest of their children who do not understand the need for them to attend school.
“Sending your child to school late inculcates a kind of bad habit that will demoralise them; but making sure they go to school early inculcates in them the spirit of waking up early to finish with household chores on time,” he said.
He advised both teachers and parents to do well and ensure children adhere to the COVID-19 protocols by wearing nose marks, washing hands, ensuring social distance as well as sanitising their hands each time they resume from break-time.
“The COVID-19 pandemic as we all know has not left us; the children need to be protected to prevent them from being infected with the virus. They are the future of Ghana, and therefore we need to protect them and inculcate discipline in them,” he said.
The Director of Education-Sangnerigu Municipality, Alidu Alhassan Junior who accompanied the Regional Director, also stated that efforts will be made to provide the needed learning and teaching materials as well as infrastructure to enhance academic work in the Municipality.
