UN IN GHANA COMMEMORATE INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION DAY 2021

The Ghana Commission for UNESCO joined other stakeholders in Education (MOE, GES, ILO, UNAIDS, UNESCO, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNHCR, UNU, and WFP) to commemorate the 3rd International Day for Education, which occurred on January 24, 2021.
Unfortunately, the equal opportunities in Education that countries have gained over the years, risk being eroded in the face of the COVID 19 Pandemic.
This is because the COVID 19 pandemic at its peak affected 1.5% billion learners; further threatening education, which is a global public good, and a safe environment for some learners.
Students, parents, and other stakeholders were however elated when in early January, the President, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced that schools should re-opened. The Ghana Education Service embarked on the #BackToSchool Campaign to encourage students to return to schools.

Consequently, on 26th January 2021, Mrs. Ama Serwah Nerquaye-Tetteh, Secretary-General for Ghana Commission for UNESCO, joined other stakeholders to issue a joint statement that approved of Ghana responding “swiftly to the learning disruption by putting in place alternative learning solutions, notably Learning Management System (LMS) in many tertiary institutions, the iCampus, Ghana Learning TV and Ghana Learning Radio, through which lessons were delivered to basic school pupils.”

The Team also paid a working visit to pupils and students at La Nkwatanang Cluster of Schools and Presbyterian Boys Senior High School, Legon all in the Greater Accra Region to commemorate the International Day of Education 2021.
They held discussions with pupils and students, which mostly centred on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their learning as well as their challenges while at home and back to school. The students suggested that the Government should continue to negotiate with the TELCOS so that the cost of data for browsing can be reduced. The teachers on the other hand intimated that the GES should expedite action on the supply of PPEs and give more education to learners on the COVID-19 pandemic.
With this year’s theme being “Recover and Revitalize Education for the COVID-19 Generation”, Prof. Kwasi Opoku Amankwa, Director General, GES stressed that the Ministry of Education is doing a lot to make the school environment safer for students and staff.

Mr. Charles Abani, UN Resident Coordinator, reminded stakeholders to be responsible for their health and prioritise it since “Government will do its part, but really parents also need to play their part to ensure their wards are protected and safe”.

The Ghana Commission for UNESCO believes that all stakeholders should use this day to form synergies that will promote education, which is a fundamental right and assuredly, the most powerful aid to development across the globe.