‘Education, Tool For Poverty Eradication’a

An activist, Mrs Benedicta Attoh, says education is the key to breaking the circle of poverty in the country.

Attoh, who is the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the governor of  NGOs, said this in Benin while speaking with newsmen.

She said: “Not just formal education but also informal education and skill acquisition. I will say that education in any form is the key to breaking the circle of poverty.”

On why the enforcement of the Child’s Right Act has not been fully embraced in the state, she said the government needs to work closely with parents on this aspect.

“We need to empower parents both financially and on information dissemination for them to also be able to empower their children.

“I don’t believe that parents should be criminalised and punished for alleged child abuse as enshrined in the Act.

“I think that they should be educated on this aspect and continuous awareness programme on the Act is advocated”.

Attoh said: “Parents and stakeholders should be made to be aware of the consequence of not sending their children to school.

“They should be taught and enlightened that culture is dynamic and that .poverty is man- made and that it can be eradicated.

The SSA, therefore, said the issue of enforcement of the Act should not be left to government alone saying that “there is so much we can do in terms of awareness.

“But we need to also create the enabling environment that will ensure that the law becomes most effective in the state,’’ she added.