Islamic schools flourish in Volta Region

Islamic schools flourish in Volta Region

By Mohammed Awal in Ho

The Volta Regional Minister, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, has called on Muslim parents in the Volta Region and Ghana at large to ensure that their children are well educated. This, he said, would decrease the rate of illiteracy in the Muslim communities, thereby ensuring growth and development.

Speaking at the first ever Islamic Education Unit (IEU) 3-day conference in Ho, themed “The Future of Islamic Education in Volta Region: The Role of Stakeholders,” Nii  Laryea Afotey Agbo said the government “is increasingly making education almost free and so there is no excuse for our Muslim brothers and sisters to use the cost of education as an excuse to keep children out of class.”

The Minister also called for support of relevant institutions which promote education in society, noting that the challenges faced by the IEU in its operation should be of concern to all “since their inability to function properly would mean more Muslims children will be out of the classroom.”

The repercussion of such state of affairs, he acknowledged, would result into the production of illiterates in the community.

According to the Minister, it was in this vein that he supports the call by IEU to be assisted so that they could acquire the necessary equipment and infrastructure to attract and maintain Muslim children in school.

The General Manager, IEU, Alhaj Baba Yahya Khalid, said the future of Islamic education in the Volta Region would be bright if all stakeholders in education play their respective roles diligently and effectively.

In education, he noted that “most systematic transformation efforts involve stakeholders that are critical in achieving the desired changes,” adding that the vision of the unit (IEU) was to ensure accessibility to “quality and holistic education through efficient and effective management so as to ensure excellence.”

By providing holistic education, Alhaj Baba Yahya Khalid, mentioned that IEU would seek to prepare pupils for meaningful participation in the socio-economic development of Ghana.

Challenges facing Islamic Education in Volta Region

The Regional Manager, IEU, Vriue Iddrisu Abass Amedor said since the establishment of the IEU in the Volta Region in 1999, it has suffered logistics constraints rendering the unit dormant.

However, he noted in 2002 with the support of the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) and the Regional Directorate of Education the Unit actively took off.

The Unit, according to Mr. Amedor, started with 20 basic schools. But it has now shot up to 40 basic schools and one Senior High School (SHS) at Ahamansu in the Kadjebi district, with enrollment increasing from 5000 to 7000, representing 40% increment.

Combating spiritual degeneration of Muslims

Also, a lecturer at the Islamic University College and a clinical Psychologist, Hajia Taahir Swallah Nasiba tasked stakeholders and Muslim parents to restructure the educational priorities along Islamic lines, so as to combat the moral and spiritual degeneration of Muslims throughout the world.

“Today we need an educational system which can produce Muslim philosopher, scientist, economist, jurist and statesman.” “In brief Muslim experts in all fields of knowledge are needed to reconstruct the social order in accordance with the tenets of Islam.”

These, she said, would not be achieved without parents investing in the children’s education.