The Federation of Muslim Women Association of Ghana (FOMWAG) has introduced a community literacy initiative in the Ashanti Region aimed at enhancing the academic prospects of children.
The project is set to support five districts and municipalities in the region, including Asokore Mampong, Ejura, Adugyama, Bosomtwe, and Oforikrom, with the goal of strengthening the literacy and numeracy skills of approximately 300 children.
The Community Empowerment through Child Literacy Project seeks to bolster community-led initiatives by volunteers in partnership with the Ghana Education Service to help improve the literacy skills of girls and boys from class 2 to 6 in five underprivileged schools in the Ashanti Region.
Children, particularly girls in Primary 3 to 6 in basic schools within the target communities, are facing challenges in communicating in English and grasping age-appropriate mathematics and numeracy concepts.
Class tests, exercises, and End of Term Examination results from the schools in the target communities have highlighted a literacy crisis, with children struggling to communicate in English and understand age-appropriate mathematics and numeracy concepts.
Data from the schools reveal that around 70% of these children are grappling with fundamental reading and writing skills.
Moreover, a significant number of girls are not actively participating during lessons, either by not answering questions or asking for clarification, indicating a lack of self-confidence.
Following the launch, Regional President Kabirat Ahmed Salihs stated that in collaboration with the Star Ghana Foundation, the project aims to enhance the literacy and numeracy skills of children across the beneficiary communities.
She stressed the importance of addressing the challenges faced by learners in reading, writing, expressing themselves in English, and understanding numeracy concepts.
“The essence of the project is that, we’ve realised that a lot of learners in our communities have difficulty in reading and writing and also expressing themselves in the English Language. Some of them also have challenges with numeracy, so we’re trying to see how we can solve this challenge,” she noted.
Kabirat further expressed the crucial role parents play in ensuring their children’s academic success by monitoring their academic progress and performance, either independently or by engaging with teachers.
Samson Anawine, the Asokore Mampong Municipal Director of Education, underscored the significance of literacy and numeracy in children’s academic development, stressing the need of cultivating a reading habit of children to pursue their educational interests effectively.
“Literacy is critical for our survival, there’s no option than to encourage our children to be able to read so that this country can grow,” he said.
He commended FOMWAG for their dedication to supporting education in the Municipality.
Nana Yaw Akuoko, the Otumfour Asenehene of Sepase, urged parents to monitor their children’s activities, especially on social media, and guide them on the television programs they watch to safeguard their academic aspirations.
He expressed concern over the negative influence of parental behavior on children, stating the need for responsible conduct to shape positive behavior in children as they grow up.
