About 949 school drop-outs in the Mion District of the Northern Region have acquired literacy and numeracy skills making them ready to enroll in the formal school system.

The children, comprising 363 females and 586 males, were part of 979 others who benefited from the Complementary Basic Education (CBE) programme for nine months (October 2019 to September 2020).

Through the initiative, the children acquired basic literacy and numeracy skills in their native languages.

They would also be placed in various classes starting from class three when basic schools reopen in January.

Plan International Ghana, a child-centered non-governmental organisation, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Educate A Child, implemented the CBE under a project dubbed: “Reaching and Teaching out-of-school Children (REACH)”.

REACH is a five-year project, which began in 2015 to address the out-of-school children phenomenon in the country.

Mr Baba Musah, Sambu Circuit Supervisor of the Mion District Directorate of Education who spoke at the graduation ceremony urged parents to support their children to remain in school.

“I welcome these children into the formal school system and this means that when school resumes, they will automatically be admitted into the various classes they have been placed,” he said.

“I urge all parents to support this achievement and ensure they prepare, provide the basic school needs and send the children to the schools for admission when school resumes in January. No child should be left behind again.”

Graduation ceremonies were also held in seven districts: East Mamprusi, Gushegu, Karaga, Mion, Nanumba North and South, and Kpandai for about 7,500 other children, who also benefited from the CBE programme.

This year’s graduation brought to an end the REACH project, through which about 93,000 out-of-school children were enrolled under the CBE programme in various districts across the country.