To youth and children of Tema Manhean, schooling is not part of either or a dream as most Ghanaian children aspire. The situation is compounded by the apparent inertia or indifference on the part of parents to the situation.
Children are thus sighted in the Tema Manhean wasting precious school hours struggling with adults at the Manhean sea shore over fish catch and how to make it to the next day’s fishing.
TODAY gathered from investigations that parents of the children virtually endorse the idea of child fishing because it is the only way to cater for their larger families.
Children in fishing at Tema Manhean
“We have big families and with fishing as the only vocation for us, we encourage our children to go fishing in order to make some money to support us,” a mother fishmonger disclosed.
Some youths who spoke to TODAY disclosed that since their parents, especially fathers owned the canoes, their expedition on the high seas is a way of helping their parents to make enough money that would not necessarily go to an outsider who might have been employed by their parents.
“I decided to go to fishing to make sure that any money that I make will not only help my family members, but will also ensure that outsiders do not feed on our family”, a boy believed to be close to 10 told this reporter.
The paper also gathered that some of the children are coerced into fishing by either their foster parents or adopted families, with the reason being similar to those assigned earlier on.
However the Tema Mantse, Nii Adjei Kraku II, has expressed great worry about the situation, which in his opinion is depriving the Tema Manhean community of potential scholars.
He made this known when TODAY called on him at his palace in Tema Manhean.
“Going fishing is not bad; I was once a fisherman. However, it is bad to ignore school totally,” he stated.
He continued that, he believes the ‘love for money’ on the part of children as well as the inability of parents to provide the basic needs of their children causes them to end up fishing.
Nii Adjei Kraku II again blamed the situation on the rota-systems in schools (as in the case of most of the schools in the community).
He explained that children who are confronted as to why they were not in school during morning class hours having always given the reason that they were for the afternoon shift whilst those seen in the afternoon claimed they go to school in the morning.
This, he stated, was the cause for not being able to properly check these children who have been forcefully turned into fisher folks.
Nii further disclosed to TODAY that he together with the Tema Traditional Council have instituted a scholarship scheme which seeks to support the education of the indigenous people in the community.
He stated that over 200 people have benefited from the scheme most of who are currently at the Senior High School level and tertiary levels.
Nii Adjei Kraku II advised parents to cultivate the habit of sending their wards to school to make them responsible adults.
He promised to collaborate with the various clan leaders of the community through the Tema Traditional Council to educate his people on the importance of education.
By Nana Ama Prebah, Mysteek College, Intern