Wa, August 24, GNA – Mr. Alhassan S. Moomen, Bole District Director of Education, has observed that teenage pregnancy and elopement of school girls were problems hindering girls’ education in the area.

He said in many of the communities it was normal for a man to impregnate a young girl in his quest to marry her and the practice was not considered a crime.

Mr. Moomen was addressing participants at a three-day Regional Girls Mentoring Camp to discuss girls’ education in the Bole District, in Wa on Monday.

He said another challenge hampering girls’ education in the area was the practice among the Brifos whereby at a certain age, young people had to go through initiation rites and thereafter change their names and would not respond to call of his original name.

Identifying such persons in school becomes a problem as they would respond to their original name, Mr. Moomen said.

Mr. Moomen expressed worry that some children abandoned the classroom and engage in illegal mining, popularly known as Galamsey.

He said the District Directorate of education was collaboration with the Bole District Assembly to improve education in the area.

Mr. Frank D. Kaib, a Deputy Director at the Lawra District Directorate of Education, said opinion leaders, parents and girls were thwarting efforts aimed at preventing teenage pregnancy.

Mr. Israel K. Akrobortu, Acting Upper West Regional Director of Department of children, called on parents to ensure that their girls attained education.

He also said: “Taking affirmation action for the empowerment of the girl child is an issue of justice and that should not be overlooked by policy makers.”

Mr. Akrobortu said girls had been discriminated against from childhood and their low status was reflected in the denial of their fundamental needs and rights.

He said when poverty-stricken families had to choose between sending their sons or their daughters to school the lot often falls on the boys.

Mr Akrobortu called for the elimination of early marriages, Female Genital Mutilation, domestic abuse, less access to education to give equal educational opportunities to girls.