The Nungua Mantse, His Royal Majesty Oboade Nortse King Prof. Odaifio Welentsi III, has launched the Nungua Mantse Free School Uniform Programme to promote education and improve school attendance in the Krowor Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
The initiative, which targets pupils in the Nungua Traditional Area, is aaimed at reducing absenteeism and school dropout associated with the lack of school uniforms.
Launching the programme at the forecourt of the Nungua Palace, the Nungua Mantse said his decision was informed by frequent encounters with schoolchildren whose uniforms were in poor condition or who stayed away from school entirely because they did not have uniforms.
According to him, the absence of school uniforms had become a major barrier to regular school attendance for many children, contributing significantly to truancy and dropout rates in the municipality.
He urged teachers to show care and commitment in handling the pupils and to do their best to equip them with the knowledge and values needed to become responsible citizens in the future.
The Nungua Mantse also cautioned teachers against discrimination in the distribution of the uniforms, stressing that support should be extended to all needy pupils, irrespective of their ethnic background.
Citing data available to him, King Welentsi noted that non-Ga-Dangme pupils formed a majority in several schools within the Krowor Municipality.
He therefore called on the people of Nungua and the wider Ga-Dangme community to take the education of their children more seriously.
He emphasised the growing importance of education, noting that the time would soon come when basic educational certification could be required even for petty trading activities such as selling kenkey. He urged parents to prioritise schooling for their children before such realities set in.
Touching on other interventions to improve teaching, learning and school safety, the Nungua Mantse said his palace had supported several institutions in the municipality with potable water, water storage tanks, libraries, KVIP facilities, and the construction of a perimeter wall for Nungua Senior High School. He also mentioned the provision of a modern gate for the Regional Maritime University, among other development projects.
He further called on teachers to instil discipline among pupils and appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to support schools to enforce discipline responsibly as part of efforts to mould pupils into well-mannered individuals.
To ensure the smooth implementation of the initiative, the Nungua Mantse announced the formation of a committee to oversee the Nungua Mantse Free School Uniform Programme.
Speaking on behalf of the education authorities, the Krowor Municipality Education Director, Mr. Azeriya Ayariga commended the Nungua Mantse for his consistent support for education in the area, citing the successful maiden teachers’ prize organised on November 27 last year with the backing of the traditional council.
He described school uniforms as an essential component of education, noting that beyond providing identity, uniforms promote discipline and a sense of equality among pupils.
While assuring the traditional authorities of the commitment of teachers to improving teaching and learning outcomes in the municipality, he appealed for continued collaboration among parents, the Municipal Assembly, the traditional council and other stakeholders, stressing that teachers alone could not address all the challenges confronting schools.
The beneficiary schools expressed their profound gratitude to the Nungua Mantse for the initiative and prayed for good health and blessings for him and his elders.
Sources: Nii Okpoti Odamtten and Muhammed Faisal Mustapha
