NCCE BUILSA EDUCATES YOUTH ON GALAMSEY, COVID-19

The Builsa North Municipal Directorate of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) has engaged pupils of Choik J.H.S on child protection, COVID-19 safety protocols and other related issues. The engagement was purposely to educate the students on negative behaviors that affect their growth and development as children including teenage pregnancy, drug abuse and other related behaviors. The pupils were also engaged on the COVID-19 pandemic specifically the new Delta Variant.

Speaking at the engagement, the Municipal Director, Mr. Jeffrey Adda used flash cards to teach the pupils to desist from negative behaviors and to take their studies seriously. He said these negative behaviors could lead to teenage pregnancy, school dropout, drug abuse, armed robbery, etc. and could “prevent you from achieving your goals in life, hence the need to uphold yourselves”. The Municipal Director also taught the students the best ways to deal with issues such as sexual abuse, child neglect, emotional abuse and child exploitation among others.

Mr. Adda took the time to educate students on the impact of illegal mining (galamsey) on the environment and people. He encouraged them to take the environment as a friend and treat it with maximum care and protection. Mr. Adda also urged them to stop littering as well as bush burning.

Mr. Peter Awentoo, Principal Field Officer (PFO), engaged the students on COVID-19 and the new variant. Speaking to the pupils, he made them understand that there was a new COVID-19 strain called the Delta Variant, its symptoms as well as the rate at which it was infecting people.

Mr. Awentoo encouraged them to take part in the vaccination exercise when it was made available to them. He urged them not to believe negative stories about the vaccine and explained that the vaccine is very important because it helps the immune system to fight the virus when infected.

Finally, pupils were advised to take the safety protocols seriously and to wear their face mask in public, wash their hands with soap under running water for 30 seconds, use an alcohol-based hand sanitiser frequently and to continue to observe the social distancing protocol.