A three-day training for Junior Leaders has ended in Tamale with a field trip to the Tamale Airport and Magnolia Recreational Centre, where learners were exposed to the aviation industry and the work of the Ghana Armed Forces.
A total of 240 learners were drawn from 60 basic schools in the Kumbungu, Savelugu, and Tolon Districts of the Northern Region where the Partners in Play Project (P3), funded by The LEGO Foundation is being implemented, took part in the training and the trip.
The P3, which is being implemented by Right to Play, an international non-governmental organisation, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and its agencies, seeks to empower children to become creative, engaged, and dedicated to lifelong learning.
It is also to improve the quality of education for girls and boys aged six to 12 years through playful learning.
During the training, learners were taken through leadership skills, advocacy, and public speaking to build the capacity for child protection, gender equality, and reading strategies, as well as understand their rights and responsibilities, and build their self-confidence, and communication skills.
They also discussed ways to revamp school clubs and make them functional to serve their interests.
Yaw Ishmail, a class six learner from Yoo R/C Primary School in the Savelugu Municipality shared his experience with the training and the trip saying “I have learned a lot about the emotions and qualities of a leader and I am equipped with enough strategies to tolerate other learners in my school club as this will help me in my personal development.”
Yahaya Zakia, a class five learner from Diare E/A Primary ‘A’ in the Savelugu Municipality said “The field trip had made me dream big to become a pilot. I am grateful to Right to Play for such exposure.”
Mumuni Mariam, a basic six learner from Dalun Simli Model Primary ‘A’ in Kumbungu District said “I have played a lot of games that involve communication, collaboration, leadership and with friends. I believe these activities will help us achieve our target as a school club together.”
Braimah Shakun, a basic five learner from Kangbagu SDA Primary in the Tolon District said: “We have learned to use games to achieve learning outcomes, and I am curious to give it a try with my friends in school. Also, they told us that we will lead games with our friends in school and I can’t wait to start doing that.”
Right to Play
Mr Farouk Alhassan, Project Officer, Right to Play said the activity was an opportunity for the learners “to experience the 21st century way of learning, which is learning through play. Throughout the three-day engagement, children were seen happy and energetic with the learning through play approach.”
Mr Alhassan added that “the field trip was a memorable one as many if not all of them, have never stepped foot at the Tamale Airport and this was their first experience, which would help them dream big and work hard in school to become great leaders in future.”
He expressed hope that the district education offices would take up the initiative to ensure that the school clubs were functioning so that children could meet with their peers to discuss issues affecting their education and personal growth.
