By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Northern Regional Operations Manager of World Vision Ghana (WVG), Francis Gumah, has stressed the necessity for children’s access to life skills and moral education to be given the desired attention to engender “sustainable national development and accountable leadership”.
He emphasised that education should not only be about writing and speaking the English language, but it should equally provide children with a solid foundation for critical thinking that enables them to solve developmental problems confronting society.
Mr Gumah made the observation when World Vision Ghana presented 150 mono desks and 70 pieces of teachers’ tables and chairs to Lassia-Tuolu Senior High School in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region.
The gesture by WVG is in response to an appeal made by the management of Lassia-Tuolu Senior High School when the multi-purpose hall of the school was razed down by fire on 10th March 2024.
GBC’s Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo in this piece says Mr Gumah indicated that the move to actualise “accountable leadership” calls for a curriculum change to give children skills for life and provide them with quality moral education and ethical behaviours critical to national development.
The Northern Regional Operations Manager of World Vision Ghana intimated that ethical training of young people will also help us to counter corruption and irresponsible national leadership, which contribute to the vulnerabilities of the poor in society, and touched on his Organisation’s priority on children’s education and welfare.
He observed: “It is for this reason that World Vision Ghana prioritises children’s education and their welfare in all our programming. Our programmes are designed to tackle the root causes of poverty and lift the most vulnerable children, their families, and communities out of poverty and social injustice.”
The Northern Regional Operations Manager of WVG continued that, this is not the first time World Vision Ghana has provided support to a school in the Wa West District, saying that since we began operations in the district, World Vision Ghana has presented 960 dual desks to 10 schools in the Wa West District alone.
Aside from this, 120 children who walk long distances to school have been given bicycles that enable them to attend school regularly and punctually, he told the gathering. In addition to this, World Vision Ghana has also donated over 600 school uniforms and school bags, 5000 exercise books, and some play-to-learn equipment valued at thousands of Ghana cedis to more than 1,900 schoolchildren in the Wa West District.
Mr. Gumah was hopeful that the support from WVG will help to improve teaching and learning and general academic performance of students of the school.
Making reference to the 2024 elections, he said, “as we head to the polls in December, it is our collective responsibility to safeguard the peace we enjoy in this country”.
“This is because children, women, and young people for whom we seek political power and leadership positions’ lives can only thrive in a peaceful environment. We owe this nation and its citizens the responsibility of maintaining peace and order before, during, and after the elections.”
Mr Gumah assured the leadership of the Wa West District of World Vision’s commitment to contributing to the development of the District through education, health, livelihood, child protection, and economic empowerment of women.
He entreated all partners in the district to work hand-in-hand with World Vision Ghana in improvimg the lot of the people through its humanitarian, development, and advocacy trajectories.
The Headmaster of LASSEC, Emmanuel Banongwie, expressed tons of gratitude to the benefactor. He said: “Your contribution is more than just a financial or logistical gift, it is a beacon of hope and testament to the power of giving and a reminder that we in LASSEC are not alone in our mishap and in our mission. On behalf of everyone, who. will benefit from this generosity, I extend our deepest thanks.”
“The impact of your Kindness will be felt far and wide, your name will forever be imprinted in our hearts and minds. We are inspired by your example and hope that your generosity will motivate others to follow in your footsteps. The significance of this occasion is not just about the donation but it is about the shared commitment of World Vision International to bettering the lives of people,” Mr Banongwie stated.
The Member of Parliament for Wa West, Peter Lanchene Toobu stated that he will work with World Vision Ghana to reduce poverty and promote justice in Wa West and stressed the need for peace to be upheld in the area in order to fast-track development.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Wa West, Madan Vida Diorotey, said as a result of the quick response of President Akufo-Addo, a new multi-purpose hall is being constructed to replace the burned one. She was grateful to World Vision Ghana for the numerous interventions it is making in Wa West, a deprived area.
The out-gone Students’ Representative Council (SRC) President of LASSEC, Abdul Nasir Samir, pointed out that the fire disaster, apart from causing them emotional distress, has interrupted their academic work and thanked World Vision Ghana for reaching out to them in their time of need.
The Wa West District Director of Education, Amatus D. Tug-uu, who chaired the function, was extremely happy about the package from World Vision Ghana and noted, “I am short of words in terms of the support”.
As a result of the destruction of the multi-purpose hall, the one thousand, two hundred and thirty-three (1233) students of the school, made up of seven hundred and seventy-seven (777) girls and four hundred and fifty-six (456) boys, have been having their dining and other activities under trees.
