Dr Haruna Zagoon-Sayeed, Lecturer University of Ghana, has urged Muslims to prioritise and invest in education by putting their resources together and getting good schools for their children.
He said because of misplaced priorities, Muslims had not identified that education was key and spent unnecessarily on other things that were of no benefit to themselves and society at large.
“Muslims must stop investing in unnecessary things and prioritize education. I believe that if we prioritize education and make it at the top of the scale of preference as a community, we can put our resources together and get good schools.”
Dr Zagoon-Sayeed made the observation at the 25th anniversary seminar of the youth wing of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Ghana (Young FOMWAG), in Accra, on the theme: “25 years of empowering the young Muslim girl; challenges and prospects.”
Speaking on the topic: ‘the state of the Muslim youth in Ghana’ he said if Muslims cut on spending unnecessarily on other things and channeled their resources into the education of the youth, they could build quality schools to support government.
“As a community that wants development, if we cut on spending unnecessarily, and put those resources into education, we can build quality schools to support government so we can get Muslim schools where our children will be free to go. It is our duty to do it for government to support us, and not the other way round.”
Dr Zagoon-Sayeed commended Young FOMWAG for the milestone chalked over the past 25 years in focusing on empowering the Muslim girl and urged them to concentrate on the boys as well in order not to create a disequilibrium which would not augur well for their holistic development.
He said, “Young FOMWAG must include both boys and girls who must be nurtured, trained, encouraged, mentored, motivated and coached to become useful citizens to themselves and the country.”
“Even in the educational sector now, there is a disequilibrium because the girls are going to school more than the boys. Some years ago, it was the opposite, but now the girls are more than boys. This is because we have placed so much emphasis only on girl child education, and it must be both boy and girl child education.”
Hajia Safia Salifu, Headmistress, Islamic Girls Senior High School, Suhum called for a holistic education of the Muslim child with emphasis on the integration of education, morality, and spirituality.
“Children must concentrate on the school curriculum, while knowing their religion. Parents must also insist on spending hours with their children to know them and be interested in their education.”
She charged the young Muslims to recognise their potential and to develop it with the help of their parents, teachers, and other role models.
Hajia Huraira Abdul Razak Sika commended Young FOMWAG for the achievements so far in empowering young Muslim girls over the years and urged them not to relent in their efforts but strive hard in this course in order to receive the full blessing of Allah.
Some participants expressed excitement about the seminar, saying such platforms were necessary to encourage the Muslim girl to attain higher education both formal and Islamic to become responsible citizens in the future.
Young FOMWAG was formed 25 years ago by Muslim women who wanted to change the narrative of Muslim women in Ghana through impactful education in accordance with the tenets of Islam.
It was also to mobilize and create a network of young Muslim girls in the Greater Accra Region, instilling discipline, and fear of Allah in them, empowering them through advocacy and awareness creation and grooming the girls for leadership positions.
The theme for the anniversary celebration was carefully chosen because the association was aimed to become a prospective forum to create the next generation of mothers.
Other activities for the celebration include an educational trip in September, a workshop in December which would be filled with various activities such as skills training, a donation to an orphanage, fun games, health walk, clean up exercise and an awards night.
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