A disturbing trend of truancy and outright withdrawal of children from school has hit Amuowi in the Offinso Municipality of the Ashanti Region.

Education authorities report a huge drop in enrollment, especially, at the Junior High School level.

Community leaders fear the consequences of the negative attitude to education by children in the area.

It is unclear what has triggered what they describe as unfortunate and worrying development.

Investigations show the interest of pupils in education, especially at the Junior High School level, continue to dwindle.

Though inability of parents to provide the necessary materials is partly to blame, there is evidence children are de-motivated for schooling.

School authorities say numbers on roll begin to drop as soon as pupils reach Junior High School.

Last term, for instance, JHS One struggled to record attendance of 35 out of total 46 on good days.

Head-teacher, Isaac Nkrumah, says school authorities have, sometimes, had to go on a search for absentees.

“What I do is that I find time to visit homes of pupils who do not attend school and it is interesting to note that parents are surprised to know their wards do not attend school”, he said.

To reverse the trend, a group of indigenes in the Diaspora, both in Ghana and outside, is on a mission to change things for the better.

Members of the newly -formed Amoawiman Progress Group will mentor pupils of the local Municipal Assembly Junior High School. 

Members will take about ten pupils and constantly check on them and educate them on the importance of education.

Group Secretary, Emmanuel Adams Kusi, hints of plans to establish a community- based credit system for parents to help their wards.

“If parents are unable to cater for their wards' education then it is relevant that we have a community-based credit system to support them”, he added.

Meanwhile, the group is raising funds to construct a modern classroom block to replace the existing dilapidated structure.

An ultra-modern ICT and Library project is already underway.