About 13,250 out-of-school children from nine districts have begun classes under the Ghana Complementary Basic Education (GCBE) programme to facilitate their enrolment into the formal education system.

School for Life, a non-governmental organisation, is implementing the GCBE programme with sponsorship from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Department for International Development (DFID).

The beneficiary districts are Kumbungu, Saboba, Mion, Zabzugu, Sagnarigu, Karaga, Nanumba South, Wa West and Yendi Municipality.

The GCBE programme seeks to give out-of-school children beyond school starting age (eight to 14), an opportunity to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills in their mother-tongues to enable them to enrol in the formal school system.

Alhaji Sulemana Saaka, the Programme Manager of School for Life, who spoke at the launch of the programme at Voguu in the Kumbungu District, said community volunteers had been trained on the GCBE Methodology to facilitate the programme to ensure success.

The GCBE Methodology involves participatory learning approach, word formation, the use of classroom register among others, which enable pupils to imbibe the lessons.

Alhaji Saaka said the classes would run for nine months (October to June), after which the pupils would be in a position to enrol in the formal school system, entering between Primary Three and Primary Six, depending on their abilities.

He underscored the importance of education to the socio-economic development of the State and individual calling for all hands to be on deck to ensure success.

Mr Andy Karas, the Mission Director of USAID Ghana, emphasised the need for inclusive education, where no child would be left behind in education, while calling for investment in people.

Mr Karas challenged parents to prioritise the education of their children, especially the girl-child.

Madam Hawa Yussif Pontomprom, the Kumbungu District Director of Education, commended the School for Life and partners for their complementary roles in supporting the government to increase access to education; and quality education.

Voguu – Naa Bawa (Chief of Voguu), expressed gratitude to the School for Life and partners for their intervention, which ensured children acquired education.