Cape Coast, Feb. 19, GNA- The former vice chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, on Monday encouraged heads of schools to encourage students to participate cross-cultural exchange programme.

He expressed worry that the divide or gap resulted in wrong perceptions in the minds of people from the Western World about Africa and Ghana in particular Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah was speaking at a cross-cultural discussion programme, organised by Child Right's International for students from the Thomas Moore school in UK and Child's Right Clubs of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School and Mfantsipim Boys School students, at Saltpond in the Central Region. He said such initiatives would help close the divide between the Western World and Africa, erase the notion that Africans were of inferior race and help people to learn from each other for mutual understanding among them.

Prof. Anamuah-Mensah said cultural-exchange programmes have resulted in globalization of economies, exchange of ideas and internationalization of school programs, adding "I believe that through these events we can create a better world for all children of the world."

He said" I must say that within nations like Ghana there is another type of divide which could be geographic, technological, economic or sociological which separates one group of people from others." Prof. Anamuah-Mensah stressed the importance of education for children and said depriving a child of education amounted to human right abuse.

Mr Bright Kweku Appiah, Executive Director of Children's Rights International, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), said the NGO was providing a voice for children in order to nurture their sense of responsibility through the enjoyment of rights to participation, survival, development and protection.

He said members of Child Right's clubs in schools in Ghana have adopted some communities and have been providing items, teaching and community education in villages.

Mr Appiah said the measure was aimed at helping children to identify their talents for their development.

Mrs. Sarah Wilson head mistress of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School, advised Ghanaians to adopt children from deprived communities. In a related development Child Right's Club members of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School presented items worth GH¢500 to children from the primary school and junior high school in Kuntu,.

The items, which included second hand clothing, soft drinks, school bags and confectionery products, were presented by the head mistress of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School on behalf of Child Right's Club. Mrs. Wilson urged the students to study hard to enable them to acquire knowledge and skills needed for national development.