International Education Week Celebration

ADDRESS BY NANA KOFI ABUNA IV

CHIEF OF ESSIPUN

TUESDAY 5TH OCTOBER, 2010

VENUE: GNAT HALL

The Honourable Regional Minister

Metro Chief Executive

Regional Director of Education

GNAT President

All Invited Guests

Great Teachers of Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Area

It is with great pleasure and excitement that I stand here as a humble citizen of the Republic of Ghana and a good friend of our good and great Teachers in the land.

It is also with great joy that I welcome you to the climax of the International Teachers’ Day Celebration, I am pretty sure that we have had a very fruitful celebration.

Traditional rulers play a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of our dear Metropolitan Area. Both Chiefs and Queen Mothers are esteemed in their respective communities as the door keepers of tradition and change. In times past they determined and sanctioned the norms and values of society and instituted measures to monitor their use and application. With the introduction of modern laws and policies however, Chiefs and Queen Mothers now play the unique role of ensuring effective harmonisation of the old and new for the betterment of society.

I (Nana Kofi Abuna IV) with the support of other partners have instituted a scholarship to the girl child education within and around Essipun Community to ensure that all children go to school. Nana Abuna V Education Fund was also launched to cater for the needy but brilliant children from Basic school to the University level

WHY, ONE MAY ASK

It is just a vision into the theme of this great celebration that Education is the vital key to accelerated socio-economic development of our Metropolitan Area

I have heard several times that "If you are planning for a year, sow rice; if you are planning for a decade, plant trees; but if you are planning for a lifetime, educate people."

There can be no significant or sustainable transformation in societies and no significant reduction in poverty until people receive quality education they need to take their rightful place as equal partners in the development of the Metropolitan Area.

Investment in quality education is key to the Metropolitan Area’s future success. Without skills such as literacy, numeracy and problem-solving, millions of children and adults would be trapped in poverty.

I will not talk much but would have talked better on girl child education" due to my background and declaration I made in 2004 “As for me and my Council of Elders, we shall make sure that all girls go to school" I stated this on the 12th May 2004 when I hosted the durbar on Girl Child Education "towards the achievement of gender parity in education in Ghana.

The economic and social gains from education

Good access to education and health, and in terms of freedom to develop our potential - has a great value in its own right. For example, if with equal education, women's contribution to economic development is comparable to men's, then reducing gender-imbalances in education will enhance women's capacity to contribute to economic progress. This is the efficiency reason for reducing gender inequality in areas where women are currently deprived.

Social efficiency

While the economic benefits of educating girls are similar in size to the economic benefits of educating boys, recent findings suggest that the social benefits from investing in female education are far greater than those from investing in male education. Specifically, female education has powerful effects on the total fertility rate.

The way forward in the Metropolitan Assembly

In order to see how more girls and boys can be educated in our Metropolitan Area, it is essential to ask what holds them back from gaining education currently. There are many reasons why women's education seriously lags behind men's education, particularly in the Metropolitan Area. The most commonly cited is that in certain societies many parents continue to envisage a strict gender division of labour. If for most of her adult life a daughter will be a housewife, it seems pointless to educate her. 

But for the sake of our dear Metropolitan Area, I will advise that we encourage our children to get quality education that will improve and accelerate great development. All sectors of economy revolves round a quality education

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, I hereby deem it a great privilege to welcome you all to this International Teachers’ Day Celebration in Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Area and trust that you will enjoy yourselves with quality information we will get here. Please, stay welcome, blessed and be with us as long as you wish.

Thank you.