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Married Ghanaian girls quitting school - paper

by George Fominyen | Thomson Reuters Foundation
Wednesday, 28 September 2011 16:50 GMT

* Any views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.

Officials urge parents, teachers to encourage girls to continue their education

By George Fominyen

DAKAR (TrustLaw) - Education officials in eastern Ghana say child marriage and teenage pregnancies are forcing many girls to drop out of school in that part of the West African country, the Chronicle newspaper reported on Wednesday.

The officials, who met at a Nkwanta North district conference on girl-child education, urged parents and teachers to encourage girls to continue their education.

“I urge you stakeholders never to be deterred by anything in the fight against early marriage, since opposition in that direction is imminent, and remember that the future of these unfortunate children can be changed through your efforts to see a significant change in their education,” said Stella Korkor Adjomah, the district’s girl-child education officer.

Primary education in Ghana is free, with the government providing school uniforms and books. The system also allows pregnant girls to stay in school until they have their babies so as not to interrupt their education.

That means parents have no reason to take any child out of school, Adjomah said.

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