She said everything should be done to aid them not only to enrol but be retained in school and supported through all the stages of education.

Nana Domfeh made the call at the opening of a mentorship programme organised for over 2,000 girls from selected senior high schools in the Ashanti Region at Bekwai with the aim of counselling them in making career choices.

They were drawn from the Oppong Memorial, Denyanseman, Wesley and Bekwai SDA Senior High schools.

Among other objectives, the programme, which was organised by the Otumfuo Osei Tutu Charity Foundation, was also to inspire the girls to aim higher, as well as help to build their self confidence.

They were taught how to set realistic dreams, explore job opportunities, career, time and financial management, and measures to avoid peer pressure.

Nana Domfeh reminded parents of their responsibility to cater for their daughters in providing their basic needs and to spend quality time with them.

Parents should not use the excuse of work and economic pressures to deny the young ones of attention and protection they deserved, she said.

She indicated that the battle against poverty could be won through education and that was why more should be done to motivate girls to strive for higher education achievements.

Madam Sophia Awotwe, Board Member of the Foundation, said it was important to focus efforts on assisting girls to fully explore their potentials to become socially, economically and politically empowered.

A lecturer at the Kumasi Polytechnic, Madam Araba Aidoo, asked the female students not to under any circumstance accept to exchange sex for academic favours.

They must be prepared to work hard and make sacrifices to live their dreams, she added.