News:
June 14, 2021
Deputy Minister-designate for Education, Gifty Twum Ampofo has told the Appointment Committee she does not support comprehensive sexual education for children.
According to her it is not right to provide children with knowledge on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer, when members of the Committee questioned her on her stand on (LGBTQ).
According to her, her decision is based on her culture and Christian believes.
She also stated that systems have been put in place to provide modern washrooms and changing rooms in schools as some girls become sexually active too early and some do not find it prudent to be in school while menstruating, adding that she provided members of her constituency sanitary pads through the Girl Child Unit.
The deputy minister-designate revealed that data between the double-track system and teenage pregnancy are incompatible to suggest that when girls return home, they get pregnant when school resumes due to the double-track system as a result of the free Senior High School.
She explained that some persons including old students requested to take over the administration of the SHS during the onset of the Covid-19. However, she declared, Government oversees its running and taking over will be a tedious task since it requires a lot of financial investment.
Gifty Ampofo further indicated that in collaboration with the Gender Ministry and UNICEF, some policies such as ‘Going Back to School’ policy will encourage sex education with both boys and girls and tackle teenage pregnancy.
She specified that the perception of Ghanaians on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) has been a challenge as, according to her, most people think TVET is for the less intelligent and added that another challenge had to do with financing.
The nominee submitted that although it was good for students to have a grasp of theory in school, it was more important for them to balance it with practical skills needed for work and said two educational bills had been sent to Parliament to enable TVET beneficiaries benefit from the free SHS policy.
In her opinion, Inclusive Education was crucial in addressing the plight of children with disability which includes addressing the different needs that children have, to ensure every child in Ghana gains access to education, irrespective of their circumstances.
Ghanamps.com