Cross-cultural Exchange Programme For Ghana-UK Students

The former vice chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, has encouraged heads of schools to encourage students to participate in cross-cultural exchange programme. That he said was one way to minimize if not eradicate entirely prejudices about other cultures among children. Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah was speaking at a cross-cultural discussion programme, organised by Child Right’s International for students from the Thomas Moore School in UK and Child’s Right Clubs of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School and Mfantsipim Boys School students, at Saltpond in the Central Region. He said such initiatives would help close the divide between the Western World and Africa, erase the notion that Africans are of inferior race and help people to learn from each other for mutual understanding. Prof. Anamuah-Mensah said cultural-exchange programmes had resulted in globalization of economies, exchange of ideas and internationalization of school programs, adding “I believe that through these events we can create a better world for all children of the world.” Prof. Anamuah-Mensah stressed the importance of education for children and said depriving a child of education amounted to abusing the human rights of that child. Mr Bright Kweku Appiah, Executive Director of Children’s Rights International, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), said the NGO was providing a voice for children in order to nurture their sense of responsibility. He said members of Child Right’s clubs in schools in Ghana had adopted some communities and have been providing items, teaching and community education in villages. Mr Appiah said the measure was aimed at helping children to identify their talents and to work towards developing those talents. Mrs. Sarah Wilson head mistress of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School, advised Ghanaians to adopt children from deprived communities. In a related development Child Right’s Club members of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School presented items worth GH¢500 to children from the primary school and junior high school in Kuntu,. The items, which included second hand clothing, soft drinks, school bags and confectionery products, were presented by the head mistress of Mfantsiman Girls Secondary School on behalf of Child Right’s Club. Mrs. Wilson urged the students to study hard to enable them to acquire knowledge and skills needed for national development.