Mr Razak Abdul-Korah, the Upper West Regional Director of Education, has called for continuous partnership between the USAID and the GES towards improving Ghana’s education sector.
While commending USAID for its support to the sector over the years, he asked for the partnership to continue to help develop the potential of school children in the country.
Mr Abdul-Korah was speaking at the opening of the Upper West Regional Reading Festival in Wa on Wednesday organised by the GES with support from the USAID’s Strengthening Accountability in Ghana’s Education System (SAGES) System Strengthening Activity.
The reading festival started at the school level competition, through to the circuit levels, district level and then to the regional level.
The SAGES System Strengthening Activity was being implemented by CARE International in 17 districts in four regions of the north – Upper West, Upper East, Northern and North East Regions.
It was implemented in the Upper West Region in partnership with the Community Development Alliance (CDA) to improve educational service delivery by institutionalising accountability throughout the primary education system.
Mr Abdul-Korah explained that the reading festival would help unearth and nurture the strength and potential of the children for their good and society.
The GES Director thanked the district directors of education for the work done to get the children to participate in the festival at the regional level.
Mr Abdul-Korah expressed hope that the children representing the region at the national competition would make the region proud by excelling in the contest.
Mr Suleman Bipuah, the Programmes Manager of CDA, observed that: ‘Reading is not merely a skill, it is a cornerstone of human progress on which all learning is built.’
‘It opens doors to new work, sparks imagination and empowers the children to reach their full potential,’ he added.
Mr Bipuah indicated that the unwavering support of USAID had been instrumental in ensuring accountability in the country’s education system.
He appealed to parents and teachers to continue to support the children at home and in the school beyond the reading festival to help ensure learning and reading formed an integral part of the children to build on the successes of the festival.
‘Every book read, every story shared is a step towards a brighter and more literate future for Ghana.
By investing in education and reading, we are not just transforming individual lives, we are shaping the density of our nation,’ Mr Bipuah stated.
On his part, Sunche Naa Y.O.D. Saaka, who represented the Wala Traditional Council at the event, stated that a good beginning for a child could result in a good ending for that child.
He said education could be acquired through diverse means, including learning from the elders in society.
He, however, said: ‘The education that is stored in literature can only be acquired by reading that literature, which needs constant practice.’
Wa Municipal emerged as the winner at the Basic 1 level with 96.97 per cent, Sissala West District won the Basic 2 level competition with 97.14 per cent while Nandom Municipality won the Basic 3 level competition with 93.62 per cent.
Source: Ghana News Agency