Right To Play has praised Ghana for the significant strides made in providing equal access to education for Ghanaian girls and boys.

According to the International Development Organisation, there is an impressive number of Ghanaian girls currently in school compared to what pertained in the past when many girls were not sent to school by their parents.

“In the last 20 years, the conversation had been about girl-child education, and we can all see that there’s been a lot of opportunities for our girls which means we are making strides,” the Gender Specialist of Right To Play Ghana, Fouzia Tua Alhassan noted.

The Gender Specialist made the remark during an event held at Amanfrom near Kasoa by Right To Play and its local education partners to mark the International Day of the Girl Child on October 27, 2023.

There has been an increase in the number of girls participating in both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) across the country.

In 2022, out of the total number of 422,883 candidates who participated in the WASSCE, about 219,130 were girls, whereas 203, 753 were boys.

The story in 2023 was not any different with 235, 370 WASSCE candidates out of the total 422, 883 being females while 211, 834 of the candidates were boys.

At the basic level, out of the total 600, 714 candidates who participated in the 2023 BECE, about 300, 391 were females, and 300, 323 were males.

Although she believes this is an achievement worth celebrating, Fouzia Tua Alhassan said the changes taking place “can’t be felt at the top hierarchy, the leadership, the strategic level.”

“Most of these spaces at the strategic level are still occupied by men. A lot needs to be done to create a supportive and conducive environment for women to be able to occupy positions at that top level to influence decision-making that can gradually trickle down to the masses and create more spaces for girls and women to thrive,” she added.

On her part, The Girl Child Officer for the Accra Metro office of the Ghana Education Service, Winfill Akua Dufie, said the Free senior high school education policy of the government has given equal opportunities to girls to continue their education without any let.

“All girls have rights in as much as boys have rights and the rights of children is the promotion of girls to continue to stay in school,” she said, urging Ghanaian parents to encourage and support their children to go to school.

The event featured a mentorship breakout session where professionals from diverse areas shared their experiences with the children.