Understanding the importance of taking time out to go to school.

 The BBC’s Panorama screened a program called Chocolate: The Bitter Truth on Wednesday 24^th March on BBC One about the use of child labour in the making of chocolate. It highlighted the harsh reality of children being forced to work on cocoa farm instead of going to school. The program paid particular attention to the children who were trafficked into Ghana from neighbouring countries to work.

When discussing the program with some Ghanaians who have now immigrated to the UK they highlighted that working to help towards the total family income was normal in many parts of Ghana especially in the rural areas. Whilst they did not advocate the trafficking of children to work on cocoa farms, they did felt that it was certainly possible for children to do both.  This was one of the issues the parents of some of the children of Adaklu Aziedukope Primary school were facing. Many of them have managed to survive without any education and so could not see what harm missing a few days a week could do to the educational progress of their children.  I’m hoping that when I visit the school next week and meet some of the parents I can emphasis just how important it is that their children go to school; and learn ways in which to make more money for their families and give them a chance of a better future. The little sacrifice of their children’s time they make now they will reap from soon than they expect. Adizah Tejani recently spent 10 weeks with a host family on Ghana as a part of a government funded program called Platform 2.  She found that children could easily balance their educational needs with their family commitments towards the family income. Where there’s a will there a way.