Dr Theresa Adu, a Librarian at the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) has called for more investment in the country’s basic educational system to lay the right foundations for the education of children.
She said there was compelling evidence that early childhood experiences had a profound and lasting impact on brain development, affecting everything from learning to health and lifetime earning potential.
Smart investment in young children’s physical, cognitive and emotional development, she said, were therefore critical to adult productivity and the economic competitiveness of countries.
Dr Adu, who said this at a graduation ceremony of the UHAS Basic School in Ho in Volta Region, noted that basic education was an essential tool for national development.
She said over the past decades, basic education had helped to create a more informed and productive workforce as it provided the individual with the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in life and contribute to the development of the country.
The Librarian said stakeholders had a higher duty to invest and support basic education if they wanted the next generation of the country to be responsible citizens as most individuals identify their skills and talents during this period of their lives.
‘As a nation…we should invest in future generations by committing resources to support basic education, not only because it is simply the right thing to do, but also because failing to do so is a recipe for poverty, inequality and instability.’
To fully harness the basic education as the wheel of development in the country, she said ‘we need to re-think what we teach and how children learn,’ because children needed more than rote learning as ‘we have it now in our educational system.’
Madam Yaa Amankwah Opuni, Registrar of UHAS described the graduation as a significant milestone and a moment of pride in the lives of the learners and all who played crucial roles in ensuring that the learners went through successfully.
She said the school had made great strides over the past three years and has commended the Head of the school and the instructors for their commitment and dedication.
The Registrar asked the pupils to be focused on their studies and to continue to work hard so they would become responsible citizens as the future holds endless possibilities for them.
She described the theme for the programme, ‘Basic Education a Tool for National Development’ as apt, noting that it important for the country to train and equip its future leaders for every sector.
Mr Seth Kporgah, head of the UHAS Basic School in his welcome address noted that a consistent raise in electricity and water bills posed a great challenge to the school.
He said they continued to receive applications from parents for the wards to come to the school, but due to limited space they were unable to do so.
The headteacher said there was the need for expansion of the school to accommodate more students.
A total of 27 kindergarten two pupils were graduated as well as seven Junior High School students who took part in the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination
The event was characterized by beautiful performances from the pupils including poetry recitals, dancing, and a display of knowledge in weather forecasting.
Awards were presented to some pupils for excellent academic performance and some instructors who distinguished themselves in discharging their duties.
Source: Ghana News Agency