International Day of Education: Changing course, transforming education

Education is key to charting the course towards more justice and sustainability, but it is failing millions of children, youth, and adults, and increasing their exposure to poverty, violence, and exploitation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated a pre-existing education crisis. Reliance on digital technology for learning has deepened exclusion and gender inequalities (UNESCO).

Without remedial action, better support to teachers, and adolescents; school dropout will continue to rise, reversing progress towards all the Sustainable Development Goals and depriving youth of a future of dignity and opportunity.

In line with this, Savana Signatures in partnership with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), through the Youth Empowerment Project (YEP), held an empowerment programme in 6 schools within the South and Central Tongu Districts in the Volta Region of Ghana, to commemorate this year’s International Day of Education on 24th January, 2022.

The programme seeks to empower adolescents to overcome the challenges accounting for inequalities and school dropouts. To do this, 184 adolescents were guided to design life goals and ways of actualizing them.

“Through the YEP, we are able to support adolescents to shape their dreams, have control over their reproductive health needs and contribute to themselves and their communities. This will ensure they have a better future,” said a youth mentor and development advocate in Central Tongu District; Madam Miriam Tordzeagbo.

According to her, it is important for adolescents in every part of the country to have access to not only education but comprehensive and quality education. Thus the YEP project is timely for the people of South and Central Tongu Districts.

The adolescents who form the main beneficiaries of the project had some exciting dreams to share. Some of them want to become lawyers, doctors, engineers, pilots, etc. Others want to become entrepreneurs, businessmen, public speakers, and politicians.

They are confident of actualizing their dreams with the help of the facilitators under the YEP project and the continuous support of Savana Signatures and UNESCO.

“Now I feel connected to a higher purpose and a reason to avoid bad behaviors so I can achieve my dream,” said Dzifa Agbevor, a beneficiary.

Beneficiaries were introduced to Savana Signatures SHE+ Helpline 0800 00 11 22 and UNICEF Agoo SHE+ 5100 to access information, counseling, and referral services to appropriate authorities such as DOVVSU, health centers, and social welfare.

About the YEP

The Youth Empowerment Project aims at introducing adolescents and young people in and out of schools in the Central and South Tongu Districts in the Volta Region to an accurate and age-appropriate integrated model of Reproductive Health Education (RHE) that will curb the increasing rate of STI/STD, teenage pregnancy and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in both districts.

The project report indicates that, from July 2021, 38 Junior High Schools, with a total of 5,628 adolescent girls and boys received reproductive health education lessons in both districts.

To galvanize support and create safe environments for adolescents to live dignified lives and achieve their dreams; community sensitizations on Gender-Based Violence and Adolescent Reproductive Health and Right (ARHR) were organized. A total of 738 gatekeepers, women, men, and adolescents in various communities benefited.