By
Stanley Awalime, GNA
Yorkitikpo (VR),
Jan. 22, GNA – Hundreds of children of school going age in Yorkitikpo in South
Tongu District of the Volta Region have abandoned school and engaging in cattle
herding during school contact hours.
Most of the children
are under ten years and should have been in school, rather herd cattle for
grazing at dawn and return them at midday for another herd.
Ghana News Agency
(GNA) checks revealed that, though all the children were of school going age,
some never stepped foot in the classroom, while others dropped out of school to
assist in the family business.
One of the children,
Samuel, told GNA that nomadic activities were lucrative ventures that could
sustain their (children) families in the future.
He said they were
told they could herd cattle and become owners of barns because the longer years
in cattle herding determined the number of cattle given them as reward from the
masters.
Samuel said the work
was tiring, but the promises kept them moving on.
Some parents in the
community also said they wished to see their children in high positions in
future, but could not support their education, hence engaging them in the
venture.
Mr. Moses Kakaw, the
Director of Department of Social Welfare and Community Development for South
Tongu District, said his office was aware of children in cattle herding, but
the limited resources of the Department made it difficult to rescue them.
“It is against the
law to keep children of school going age out of school and it is our duty to
rescue them and send them back to the classroom, however the limited resources
in the District has made the rescue, rehabilitation and re-integration of these
children difficult,” he said.
He called on
non-governmental organisations to support the Department to rescue the children
and send them back to the classroom.
GNA