The first phase of the campaign spearheaded by the African Union (AU) emerged in response to the devastating disruptions caused by the COVID-19 on the educational systems across the country.

It sought to mitigate the learning loses particularly among girls who faced disproportionate risks, including child marriages, teenage pregnancy and forced school drop outs.

The Deputy Director General, Monitoring and Supervision of the GES, Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, speaking at the ceremony, said AU member states champi­oned interventions such as back to school advocacy, spearheaded by the GES, to mobilise communities, reintegrate out of school girls and leverage partnerships to provide remote learning tools.

He noted that the interventions exposed systemic gaps in Ghana’s ability to safeguard education during crises.

Prof. Dzisi said the phase is more strategic as it transcends COVID-19 recovery.

She said it also sought to address Africa’s enduring challenges, con­flicts, disasters, poverty and gender norms that excludes girls from the classroom.

Prof Dzisi indicated that the second phase was hinged on pillars of policy, advocacy, research and data collection, community partnership and capacity building, all tailored to plug loop holes such as laws supporting pregnant girls re-entry to school.

Strengthening data systems, she explained, would help track girls education in emergencies ads well as mobilising multi sectorial alliances between non-govern­mental organisations, development partners, academia, the media, and traditional and religious leaders.

“For us as a country, the launch is a pledge to escalate action with the 1.3 million out of school chil­dren with half of them being girls. We cannot afford complacency, but aligned with the continental education for Africa to domes­ticate the AU legal instruments on girl child education, ensure responsive education financing, eliminate disparities in access for girls, improve the Free Senior High School policy with focus on girls STEM education, combat child marriages as well as expand girls clubs in school ” Prof. Dzisi said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Prof. Nana Ama Brown Klutse, urged more support for the girl child to reach her full potential.

Education, she explained is a right and not a privilege, and for the creation of the proper environ­ment to help girls become the best researchers to help transform their communities.

The Vice Chancellor of the Uni­versity of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, urged the girls to be courageous and place themselves in readiness to achieve their goals in life.