Children in Yorkitikpo abandon school for cattle herding

Hundreds of children of school going age in Yorkitikpo in South Tongu District of the Volta Region have abandoned school and engaging in cattle herding during school contact hours.

Most of the children are under 10 years and should have been in school, rather herd cattle for grazing at dawn and return them at midday for another herd.

Ghana News Agency (GNA) checks revealed that, though all the children were of school going age, some have never stepped foot in the classroom, while others dropped out of school to assist in the family business.

One of the children, Samuel, told GNA that nomadic activities were lucrative ventures that could sustain their (children) families in the future.

He said they were told they could herd cattle and become owners of barns because the longer years in cattle herding determined the number of cattle given them as reward from the masters.

Samuel said the work was tiring, but the promises kept them moving on.

Some parents in the community also said they wished to see their children in high positions in future, but could not support their education, hence engaging them in the venture.  

Mr Moses Kakaw, the Director of Department of Social Welfare and Community Development for South Tongu District, said his office was aware of children in cattle herding, but the limited resources of the Department made it difficult to rescue them.

“It is against the law to keep children of school going age out of school and it is our duty to rescue them and send them back to the classroom, however the limited resources in the District has made the rescue, rehabilitation and re-integration of these children difficult,” he said.

He called on non-governmental organisations to support the department to rescue the children and send them back to the classroom.  

GNA