MASLOC Supports Complementary Education Agency With Logistics

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Microfinance and Small Loans Centre (MASLOC), Hajia Abibata Shanni Mahama Zakariah, has led the institution to donate logistics in the form of learning materials to the Complementary Education Agency (CEA) in Yendi in the Northern Region.

The learning materials included 500 exercise books, 100 D2 arithmetic, 200 A1 and A2 exercise books, 100 ‘G’ for drawing books, four boxes each of erasers, pens, pencils and markers, 100 pieces of “My first copy books,” and some course textbooks for mathematics, English language, science, social studies and teachers’ copies.

The presentation event, which took place on Saturday, May 27, 2023 at the premises of Yendi community center, saw the agency receive support from MASLOC to assist apprentices and junior and senior high school dropouts to acquire numeracy and basic English language skills.

At the ceremony to present the items to the agency, Hajia Mahama Zakariah said MASLOC’s decision to extend support for the agency was prompted by a request to the institution by the Complementary Education Agency for logistical support in the form of learning materials to help them to carry out their activities in the municipality.

According to the CEO, she has been observing the agency’s work for a long time and can attest to the impact it is making in the lives of young people by equipping them with basic literacy skills, despite their many challenges and limited resources.

MASLOC’s support for the agency is expected to strengthen the institution’s efforts to ensure that the youth receive support through education, skills training and empowerment for disadvantaged individuals who, through no fault of their own, could not attain higher education, she added.

Receiving the materials on behalf of the agency, the Municipal Director of CEA, Alhaji Mohammed Iddrisu Alhassan, praised MASLOC for meeting their request and guaranteed the CEO that the items would be put to good use.

He further stated that the distribution of these learning materials will assist the agency in efficiently running remedial courses, developed for SHS and JHS dropouts who are mostly females, in dressmaking enterprises as apprentices to allow them to acquire basic English literacy and arithmetic.

On his part, the Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in Yendi, Mr. Iddrisu Amadu, expressed his gratitude to MASLOC and the CEO for their efforts in ensuring that all who seek education are not marginalized.

He praised the institution’s corporate social responsibility efforts and asked other institutions to follow suit to guarantee that the disadvantaged members of society are not left behind.

The Complementary Education Agency, which is an expansion to the previous Non-Formal Education Division (NFED) of the Ministry of Education, was established by CEA Act 2020 (Act 1055) to oversee the provision and administration of quality complementary education in Ghana.

Meanwhile, the CEO of MASLOC also seized the opportunity to deliver a message on behalf of the institution during a Menstrual Hygiene Day event, organized by the PAGBA SAHA FOUNDATION at the Yendi Girls Senior High School. The event that seeks to promote a global advocacy platform that brings together non-profits, government agencies, individuals, the private sector and the media to promote good menstrual health and hygiene.

Hajia Mahama Zakariah urged parents to pay particular attention to their children’s reproductive health, especially that of their female children, in her address to the gathering.

She emphasized that the lack of education, enduring taboos, stigmatisation, limited access to hygienic menstrual products and inadequate sanitation infrastructure are the main causes of poor menstrual hygiene, which also prevents women and girls from realizing their full potential, and minimizes their educational opportunities, health and general social status around the world.

The CEO of MASLOC, who has been noted for her stellar leadership abilities and commitment to enhancing livelihoods, was presented with a special citation in recognition of her accomplishments for being a driving force in empowering Ghanaian entrepreneurs and fostering economic growth, through facilitating access to affordable loans and financial support for businesses in micro and small enterprises across the country.

Source: Anchorghana.com