Ekumfi Otuam, Nov 8, GNA - Twenty school girls in Ekumfi Otuam in the Mfantseman District of the Central Region have dropped out of school this year as a result pregnanncy. While 13 dropped out of the Methodist Junior High School the T I Ahmadiyya Junior High School recorded seven. This came to light when the District Education Development Team (DEPT) visited the schools.

Following the revelation, the District Directorate of Education and the District Assembly organised a public forum in the town to find out the factors leading to the problem for solution to be found. Present at the forum, which was poorly attended by parents and guardians were Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr George Kuntu Blankson, MP for the area and a citizen of the town, Ms Vivian Etroo, District Director of Education, officials from the District Directorate, members of school management committees and members of the Social Service sub-committee of the District Assembly. The major problems identified were, poor parental care culminating in school children fending for themselves, video shows, wake keepings and funerals and festivals, which attracted visitors to the town, peer pressure and pressure from parents and guardians on the girls to support house keeping.

To curb the situation, the forum decided to set up committees in the communities to enforce by-laws to protect children and their movement at night.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur cautioned parents against condoning with men who impregnated schoolgirls. Mr Blankson advised parents and guardians who pushed teenage girls out for money to support house keeping to stop the practice and to take their responsibilities towards their children seriously. Ms Etroo advised girls to take their education seriously and not to give in to pressure from boys for sex.