The NGO is of the view that the current educational curricular is not responsive to the needs of children especially girls, stressing that the curricular places too much emphasis on literacy and numeracy at the expense of skills development and training.

Mr. Moses Dramani Luri, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SILDEP who made the proposal at the opening of a four-day Regional Girl’s Camp in Wa, stated that Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) was key to unlocking the development gap in the Upper West Region.

“I am therefore appealing to all stakeholders to reconsider the current educational curriculum,” he emphasized.

Mr. Luri explained that the Regional Girl’s Camp formed part of activities of the Girls Advocacy Alliance (GAA) Project, which was aimed at building the confidence of girls from Sissala West, Sissala East and Wa West Districts in the Region.

He explained further that the purpose of the Girl’s Camp was to build the capacity of the selected young girls to champion their own lives.

Mr. Eric Ayaba, Upper West Regional Programme Manager for Plan Ghana, said Research had shown that girls were the most affected and girls with higher education were less likely to get married before age 18.

“That is why Plan International Ghana through its implementing partner (SELDEP) has brought these girls together in a camp to build their capacities to become advocates in their communities and districts when they go back,” Mr. Ayaba explained.

He said they were using camp meetings to reach out to these girls because camps have proven effective in empowering and building the capacities of young people.

“On a general level, bringing girls together helps to create safe spaces where they can interact freely, develop self-conference, discover, learn and are encouraged in the ‘I can do spirit’; Hence the theme: “supporting girls to learn, lead, decide and thrive; the responsibility of all,” he noted.

Mr. Ayaba said they were aware that the government of Ghana through the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), has launched a National Strategic Framework on Ending Child Marriage in Ghana (2017-2026), and pledged Plan Ghana’s readiness to collaborate with the government to achieve this goal.

Mr. Amidu Chinnia Issahaku, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, noted that the government was committed to empowering women and girls through the MoGCSP, hence the huge investment in the free Senior High School (SHS) education in order to make it accessible to these girls.

The Deputy Regional Minister noted that another area government was investing in was in the promotion of TVET to equip the youth with employable skills to reduce unemployment.

He thanked SILDEP and Plan Ghana for their contribution towards ensuring empowerment of girls in the region.