About 120 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates drawn from the Bolgatanga Municipality at the weekend attended a carrier conference organised by Restorative Seed Society (RSS).
RSS is a new locally-based NGO in the Upper East Region, which focuses on tackling the fallen standards of education in the Region.
The objective of the conference was to afford the Junior High candidates in the Municipality the opportunity to learn and share critical issues to inform their choice of study programmes in the Senior High School leading to a fulfilling future carrier. It was also to empower them on how to study to make good grades.
Addressing the students, the Upper East Regional Coordinator of the Ghana Education Service in charge of Guidance and Counseling, Comfort Atibo admonished parents not to impose courses on their awards but to allow them to select courses which they had interest in.
She said there were many instances where parents forced their wards to choose courses, which they had no interest in and this had led to their failures.
She also advised the students particularly the female to focus on their studies and to shy away from pre-marital sex.
Ms Atibo regretted instances where many females became dropped outs because of teenage pregnancies.
"Sex is meant for marriage couple and not for you who are teenagers. It is difficult and impossible to nurture babies as teenagers. There is more reward if you focus on your studies and finish before marriage and sex".
Mr Hallary Adongo, the Executive Director of RSS, who taught the candidates how to go about their studies and how to answer questions in examination, admonished them to take into consideration preface, contents and topics when studying.
He entreated them not to feel shy in asking questions in class when they did not understand what was being taught and to also compare notes with their colleagues.
Mr Adongo explained that RSS recognized that education, especially at the basic level, was critical not only to young people but the country as a whole, hence the carrier conference.
"RSS will also be rolling out a series of educational activities this year in the Region including formation of community study groups for selected communities and schools in the Region. We also look forward to replicating the conference in other districts of the Region".
He called on stakeholders in education to support RSS at addressing the falling standards of education in the area, stressing that it was one of the best ways of tackling poverty in the area.
Most of the candidates expressed happiness about the impact of the conference and indicated that they would put the lessons learnt to use to make them attain their future dreams.