Nestle Healthy Kids Programme to boost nutrition education in Ghana Source: Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | David Andoh

The University of Ghana’s Nutrition and Food Science Department has released the results of the first monitoring and evaluation for the Nestlé Healthy Kids Programme in Ghana.
The results were released to Nestle officials at the Monitoring and Evaluation Dissemination Workshop in Accra.
The workshop was aimed at evaluating and assessing the programme to ensure that it achieves the set target.
Nestlé Healthy Kids is a global programme, which aims to raise awareness about nutrition, health and wellness and promote physical activity among school children around the world through better eating, healthy hydration, greater physical activity or other key health measures such as hygiene.

Aaron Fenu
It is implemented in Ghana in partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the University of Ghana’s Nutrition and Food Science Department.
Nestlé is the first company in the country to introduce an intervention for nutrition education at primary-school level and the programme has been running since 2011.
The Monitoring and Evaluation assessed the nutritional knowledge, knowledge in hygiene and sanitary practices as well as behavioral change in the implementing schools.
Presenting the report to GES and the media, Dr. Gloria Otoo, from the Nutrition & Food Science Department of the University of Ghana, said: “The results demonstrate that the programme is effective in improving the overall nutrition knowledge and practice of beneficiary pupils.”
In the Central and Western Region, Nestlé Healthy Kids children were able to correctly identify more food groups (19.2%) and food nutrients (34.2%) than non-Healthy Kids (7.8% and. 3.4% respectively). The report recommends that the programme develops a parent component in order to enhance behavior change of pupils since the role of parents in the diets of children cannot be over-emphasized.

In a speech read on behalf of Moataz El Hout, Managing Director of Nestlé Ghana, Aaron Fenu, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, assured  that Nestle Ghana will continue to develop new ways to measure the effectiveness of the programme.
“Over time, we want to develop it into an evidence-based, impactful initiative that contributes to the health of local school communities”.
He added that the “long-term success of the programme will depend on the ability of the education system to reintroduce nutrition education and physical activity in participating schools”.
In Ghana, the programme started on a pilot basis in the cocoa growing districts of Juaboso and Agona East in the Western and Central Regions. In 2013, it was scaled up to further districts, including Savelugu-Nanton, Kwahu North, Afram Plains and Adansi South/North, in the Northern, Eastern and Ashanti Regions respectively.
 Over 10,000 pupils, 360 teachers and officials from 6 Districts have benefited from the program since its inception.
Globally, Nestlé Healthy Kids reached 6.9 million children in 68 countries in 2013 alone.
In a speech, the Ag. Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (G.E.S), Charles Y. Tsega, commended the company for taking an initiative which will promote good health of school children.
He advised Nestle to use teachers to run the programme in the selected schools which according to him will make the programme more successful.

Teachers trainees to do national service

From: Ghana/Daily Graphic          Last Updated: September 28, 2011

Teacher trainees who have completed their studies at the 38 Colleges of Education will undertake national service effective next year, the Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, Mr Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, has stated.

That, he said, followed the upgrade of the Colleges of Education into tertiary status.

Following the accreditation of the 38 Colleges of Education to full tertiary status, graduates from these institutions will from the next service year (2012-2013) to be enrolled on to the Ghana National Service Scheme. Consultations with stakeholders are concluded to pave way for commencement of the process of enrolment, Mr Kuagbenu said at the release of postings of national service persons for the 2011-2012 service years in Accra on Tuesday.

He said the national service for teachers would be undertaken after the teaching practice of the trainees, adding that the national service law mandated persons who had pursued tertiary education to undertake national service.

For the 2011-2012 service years, 60,350 persons out of the 80,586 requests received would be deployed throughout the country. The requests for the persons came from 7,613 organisations and 19,273 schools.

Out of the total request of 45,087 received from educational institutions, a total of 34,015, representing 56 per cent of the total deployment would go to the education sector. Of the figure, 25,094 would go to basic schools, 4,956 to senior high schools and then 2,965 to tertiary institutions.

The scheme received requests totalling 10,837 from the health sector this year. A total of 4,518 personnel comprising doctor of optometry, pharmacists, nurses, medical laboratory technicians as well as other health professionals have been deployed.

Mr Kuagbenu said the NSS had deployed 115 agricultural graduates to work on the schemes agricultural projects, adding that it had also deployed 895 personnel to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The drive to promote tourism, he said, continued to feature prominently in the scheme's programmes as 251 persons had been deployed to the Ministry of Tourism and the Ghana Tourists Board. One hundred and seventy of the persons have been deployed to the districts as district tourism officers.

A total of 16,801 persons have been deployed to Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs). Out of this number deployed, 180 persons with qualification in planning have been deployed to assist the MMDAs by ensuring proper settlement, planning and controlling the development of slums in towns and cities. In addition, special deployment of 200 persons has also been done to support the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) in the implementation of the House Numbering and Street Naming exercise, he said.

The scheme also received a total of 5,171 requests from the private sector to support its operations. A total of 5,016 persons have been deployed to this sector which includes manufacturing, telecommunication, insurance, banking and finance, among other firms.

Mr Kuagbenu stated further that the national volunteer programme was being streamlined to ensure maximum utilisation of human and financial resources allocated to the programme, and that 5,000 volunteers would be recruited to teach in deprived schools in the three northern regions, Volta, Brong Ahafo and parts of the Central and Western regions.

He said the establishment of regional farms with a total acreage of 2,200 in five other regions was expected to yield over 8,000 metric tonnes of maize this year.

Mr Kuagbenu commended the Chief Justice and the General Legal Council for the measures they had instituted to ensure that newly qualified lawyers and those seeking to pursue professional courses in law produced national service certificates as prerequisite for admission.

Through national service young graduates build skills, knowledge and attitude that raise the aspirations of what they can achieve for themselves and build the deep-rooted motivation to get involved in the strengthening of their communities and country.

I therefore would like to urge service personnel to accept postings to any part of this country as their civic responsibility to mother Ghana. I further wish to emphasise that national service should be seen as a national duty call and not a punishment, he said. 

Teachers in deprived areas motivated by Asantehene's honor

Teachers in deprived rural areas of Ghana say they feel motivated to continue serving in under-privileged communities after being honoured by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The Otumfuo’s Teachers and Educational Workers Awards scheme was instituted to provide incentive packages to teachers who work in rural communities and have excelled in their responsibilities.

200 awardees from 48 districts in the Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo and Volta regions were honoured at an ‘Awukudae’ durbar at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

Some of the award winners who spoke to Luv News said they face challenges such as access to potable water, electricity, transportation and the apathy of some parents to send their children to school.

“If you look at the community and the kind of things around the place and you sacrifice to teach and you are honoured, you feel great”, said Ernest Asamoah, an awardee from the Adansi North District, revealing that “the nearest town which you can access vehicle to the centre of the district is about nine miles [away]… and you have to walk this nine miles before you get [a] car to even attend a meeting.”

According to the Asantehene, Ghana owes a great deal of honour to teachers and other professionals who sacrifice the pleasure of living in urban communities to serve in deprived rural communities.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu observed that economic ventures in rural areas are key to national development, but regretted most rural communities are deprived with little or no access to amenities and infrastructure to promote a sustainable livelihood.

He opined that if there is any group in Ghana worthy of recognition and reward, it should be teachers in deprived communities.

“In reviewing and analyzing the contributory factors that led to the decline in educational standards, one key factor was the lack of teachers, especially in the rural areas, and the poor conditions of service and motivation for teachers and educational workers”, Otumfuo noted in a statement.

He says the Promoting Partnerships with Traditional Authorities Project (PPTAP), the Otumfuo Education Fund and the new Charity Foundation have been avenues to promote education from a holistic approach.

“Today, it is my pride and joy to appreciate and reward teachers and educational workers, especially those in deprived rural communities for giving off their best under very challenging conditions and also use this medium to entice others to take up teaching appointments in similar areas”, the King stated.

Awardees received a special package to aid their stay and work in the communities and would be sharing 50 thousand Ghana cedi cash reward from the Otumfuo.

Biology teacher in police grips after taking nude pictures of students

A biology teacher in Mampong Akuapim School for the deaf is in police custody for taking nude pictures of three of his students.

Seth Affum Danquah had lured the students into a building outside school premises, stripped them naked before taking the pictures.

Two residents who saw the teacher carry out his unbridled pornography effected a citizen’s arrest and handed him over to the Mampong police.

Police Commander for Akuapim Mampong, ASP Agyenim Boateng confirmed the incident in an interview with Joy News’ Dzifah Bampoh.

According to him, the camera used in the teacher’s escapade was retrieved with graphic pictures of the nude students.

“After we screened the camera we really realised that he took some obscene pictures of the three ladies showing part of their nakedness, upwards, specifically, their breasts and other obscene pictures,” he said.

He added the suspect admitted taking the nude photographs of the students but did not explain why and to what effect.

Affum Danquah has been charged with "unlawful entry" and in "possession of obscene pictures" and will be arraigned before the Mampong Magistrate Court on Friday.

Assistant Headmaster of the school, Emmanuel Apernu told Joy News the victims are all students “writing their final paper.”

He said the students only obeyed instructions from the teacher. He could not tell what the real intentions of the teacher were.

Meanwhile the Ghana Education Service is contemplating dismissing the teacher if found guilty of the allegations.

Rosemond Blay, Head of Special Education at the service said the act by the teacher is criminal and is waiting for the police to take action.

He said the service will have no choice than to dismiss the teacher if he is found culpable.


Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Cape Coast University admits more students

Some 2,533 women have gained admission to pursue programmes in education and business through the University of Cape Coast's (UCC) Centre for Continuing Education (CCE).
Have a break, have a manatee
The figure is the highest female intake since the establishment of the Centre 10 years ago, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, the Vice chancellor of UCC, said when she matriculated the first batch of students of the CCE on campus on Wednesday.

A total of 1,034 of the 18,000 applicants obtained admission to study business and education related courses.

Prof. Opoku Agyemang said the Centre had introduced programmes tailored to meet the demands and needs of the job market.

These include diploma and a bachelor's degree in psychology and education foundations.

She commended mothers who had taken up the initiative to seek higher education despite the challenges.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the University was poised to deliver quality higher education despite the numerous challenges with the distance education programme and would not compromise on quality.

To achieve this it had engaged 1,786 competent course tutors for all 33 study centres across the country while 28 staff are being sponsored to pursue doctoral and M Phil degree in various programmes.

The Vice Chancellor enumerated some of the challenges as lack of permanent structures as study centres in the regions but added that a structure was being constructed in the Greater Accra Region and would soon start in other regions.



Source: GNA

UG authorities condemn violent clashes

Authorities of the University of Ghana have expressed disappointment about last Friday’s violent clash between students of Commonwealth and Mensah Sarbah halls which left two students seriously injured.

Students of these two halls clashed on Friday December 17, resulting in the destruction of properties belonging to both halls worth thousands of Ghana cedis.

Authorities of the University said they are yet to establish the actual cause of the clash.

However, information available to Citi News indicate that students of Commonwealth hall descended on their colleagues from Mensah Sarbah hall to retaliate for beating up one of their colleagues for allegedly stealing a mobile phone.

A team of police and military officers had to intervene to restore order to the campus. There was a similar clash last academic year which resulted in the destruction of properties belonging to the University.

Police at Legon have also begun investigating the incident.

The Dean of students of the University, Dr. James Adomako told Citi News that any student found culpable in relation to the clash will be appropriately sanctioned.

"It is disappointing to say the least but we are still investigating it and we have to wait for investigations to be concluded. After the investigations whatever recommendations come out will be implemented as such".

Plan Ghana support education

Plan Ghana, a child centred non-governmental organization, has provided some communities in the Mankessim Programme Area of the NGO with 33 pre-school blocks, 23 Junior High schools, two Senior High schools and 20 libraries as its contribution to education in the area.

At least 1,500 pupils have also benefited from a scholarship scheme the NGO has instituted.

Mfantseman Municipal Assembly, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese and Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam Districts are the operation areas of the Mankessim Programme Area of the NGO.

Mr Suleman Gbana, the Programme Area Manager, said this at the handing-over ceremonies of two schools, a six-unit classroom, office, store, library and computer centre for Ekumfi Techiman near Mankessim and a pre-school block for Etsii Bewora near Abeadze Dominase.

The Ekumfi Techiman school was put up and furnished at a cost of GH¢104,644.00 with funds mobilized by Hobsons Company of the US, UK and Australia for Plan Ghana to implement the project.

The Bewora pre-school project was funded by Letcher Family of the United Kingdom through Plan Ghana.

Mr Gbana expressed concern about sexual harassment of school children, especially girls by their peers, teachers and sometimes their own relatives.

He said these shameful acts on the children had some adverse effect on their education making some to shun men during their adulthood.

Mr Gbana said Plan Ghana, realizing that infrastructure alone could not make a school and that children must be enrolled and retained, had launched a campaign dubbed "learn without fear" to make children who had gone through such experience to put them behind and forge ahead with their studies without fear.

Mr Kofi Aidoo, Principal Personnel Officer at the Mfantseman Municipal Assembly, expressed concern about the waning communal spirit of the people in the Municipality and said the Assembly had decided to support with materials communities that had initiated their own projects.

He said reports had reached the Assembly that facilities financed by Plan Ghana and other donor agencies were not being properly maintained by the beneficiary communities and urged them to show their gratitude to the donors by taking very good care of the projects.

Madam Rose Otoo, Assistant Director of Education at the Municipal Directorate of Education, expressed the appreciation of the Municipal Education Directorate to Plan Ghana for its support for education.

Nana Kweku Issah, the Regent of Ekumfi Techiman, appealed to Plan Ghana to provide the town with living quarters for teachers to enable them to stay in the town.

Mr Peter Abakah, Deputy Manager, Islamic Education Unit, commended the collaboration between teachers and parents at Bewora that enabled the project to be completed in a record time.

Nana Essel, Mbranthen of Bewora, appealed to Plan Ghana to help the town to rebuild its primary school block that a rainstorm destroyed.


Source: GNA