Accra: Parents and teachers have been urged to support and nurture the talents of children discovered in their formative years to help them become useful assets to their families, society, and the nation at large. Considering this, schools have been urged to prioritize organizing periodic competitions such as cultural festivals, talent shows, and sporting festivals that unearth the potential and creativity in children.
According to Ghana News Agency, Nana Asiedu Offei, the Presiding Member of the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly and Managing Director of Solodom Group of Companies, provided this advice during an interview on the sidelines of the Municipal Festival of Arts and Culture held for Basic School pupils at the Special School for The Blind, Akropong-Akuapem in the Eastern Region. The event was organized by the Akuapem North Municipal Education Directorate under the theme: 'Unleashing the Creativity in Kindergarten Learners Towards a Life-long Learning.'
The competition covered areas such as painting, poetry, chorales, and traditional dance. The seven participating circuits in the competition were Akropong, Larteh, Mampong, Adorso, Tinkong, Okurase, and Mangoase. All circuits were winners in certain categories in a previous competition at the circuit level, justifying their qualification to the municipal stage. The rationale of the event was to unearth the creativity in the children towards lifelong learning.
Nana Offei described the event as a talent hunt, mentioning that such events promote creativity and exposure of children's inherent talents, charting a course for their future in the world of work. He encouraged stakeholders to prioritize these programs in the annual calendar to tap into the budding talents of young potential leaders.
Ms. Abigail Osayohkodjie, the Guest Speaker and Eastern Regional Early Childhood Education Coordinator, urged parents and teachers to allow children the freedom to express themselves to build confidence. She emphasized the importance of adopting a monitoring mechanism to discover and promote children's hidden potentials, enhancing creativity and critical thinking.
In a brief address, Mr. Lawrence Dzah, the Municipal Director of Education, emphasized the importance of organizing programs periodically to highlight learners' inborn talents in creative arts. He urged participants to view the event as a learning opportunity rather than a competition. He highlighted the role of painting in children's holistic development, promoting creativity, emotional expression, and cognitive growth.
Mrs. Patricia Nyanpong, the Municipal Early Childhood Education Coordinator, in her welcome address, noted that the event fosters communication skills, curiosity, confidence, and critical thinking in learners. She encouraged parents to give children the freedom to pursue their passions to create career opportunities.
At the end of the event, participating schools were awarded certificates of honor for their involvement.