Co-curriculum activities in schools should not be construed as an area meant for children who are academically weak but an area that creates an enabling environment for children to unearth the hidden talent that abounds in them for their future progression.
The Chief Executive Officer of a Ho-based Child oriented organization Nestland Ventures, Eng. Nestor Ameka who spoke with 3news at a fun-fair organized by his outfit for school children at Jasikan in Oti region emphasized that sports and games do not only create grounds to build muscles and strength, but enables you to be physically fit and help to resist diseases attack the body.
According to him, co-curriculum activities has unearthed great personalities who have served this country in various capacities and continue to serve. He said some were identified through sports and games and therefore society should embrace such activities.
Talents such as Azuah Nelson, Abedi Pele, Anthony Yeboah, Ike Bazooka Quarteyy, Asamoah Gyan, legendary Baba Yara, Abdul Razak, Alice Anoo and Paul Ahmed among others are examples of co-curriculum activities.
Mr. Ameka complained about instances where some parents and guardians withdraw their children from formal education to engage them in an apprenticeship work for being academically weak
He said this does not augur well for the country’s education system, noting that parents’ failure to consult teachers of their children when taking such decisions is not the best.
He said the situation where parents and guardians take decisions on their children’s academic future without involving teachers who are professionally trained to handle matters of child education are reasons for the many non- performing children in schools.
The Chief Executive Officer has therefore appealed to authorities of schools not to relent in their efforts to strengthen activities of Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to ensure that children are brought up well both at school and at home
He said effective collaboration between teachers and parents at various schools would invariably help to identify their children’s weaknesses and amicable solution could be found for them to arrive at an informed decision with regards to the child’s future.
Mr. Ameka urged authorities of Ghana Education Service to take advantage of national ceremonial activities like Independence Day and organize fun-fairs for school children to play learn from such activities as it creates an enabling environment for them not to only learn but interact favourably well and make new friends.
The CEO pledged the preparedness of his outfit to continuously organize fun-fairs for school children in Oti Region to create avenues for both teachers and pupils to explore opportunities that avails itself from the games and other activities during the fund-fair.
Madam Margaret Kugblenu a teacher at Jasikan College of Education Demonstration Primary School and one of the organizers of the fund-fair said the maiden fair is aimed at encouraging pupils and their teachers to allow the occasion inspire them to venture into various activities that the fair offered them for a brighter future.
She stressed that co-curriculum activities are an important integral part of education and cannot be glossed over as some members of the society see sports and games as meant for dropped outs.
Madam Kugblenu noted that the education ladder would not be complete without co-curriculum activities and that society should embrace it wholeheartedly and encourage children to actively play their role as pupils for teachers to identify what talent that abounds in them for their good.
A parent, Mr. Godfred Amenyo who witnessed the fund-fair activities commended organizers of the fair and appealed to authorities of Jasikan Education Directorate, organizers of the maiden fund-fair and other public-spirited NGOs to ensure that such activities are organized in every quarter of the year to engage the children in productive and responsible activities, rather than allowing them to indulge in negative social vices.
Such activities, the parent emphasized, would not only create a platform for children to learn from one another, as they play games, but would discourage them from practices that would ruin their future, and they would be of no benefit to society.
Mr. Amenyo urged teachers and their children to allow the spirit of oneness to become the bedrock of their success story as they propel the children to assume responsible positions.
As part of activities to spice up the fun-fair, activities such as sack race, painting and colouring, pick and act, Spoon and egg, face painting and dancing competition as well as poetry recital among others, were organised.
Children who distinguished themselves in the competition received textbooks and exercise books, pens and pencils as well as certificates for participation.
