The Northern Child Protection Network (NCPN), a network of organisations seeking the welfare of children, is to develop strategic measures to address challenges facing the growth and development of children.
The Network at its second quarter meeting in Tamale on Wednesday identified various challenges
such as the increasing rate of child prostitution, moral decadence, falling standards of education and poor hygienic conditions under which children were raised.
Made up of about 25 institutions and coordinated by the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Network expressed great concern on the falling standards of education particularly in the Northern Region though enrolment figures were said to be increasing.
It queried whether government was not aware of the situation and said strategic steps and policies must be formulated to improve the situation.
The Network said government's programmes and policies had increased enrolment but efforts
made to improve the standards and quality of education must be given a second look.
In addition, it added that sanitation and hygiene were necessary onditions for the proper
development and growth of children. He said communities and families must be conscious of such
needs to keep the environment clean to avoid children from contracting diseases.
The Northern Regional Director of the NCCE, Mr Hussein Sulemana urged the Network, most of
which are NGOs, to cooperate with each other to achieve their objectives.