The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey has welcomed children back to school with financial support for 10 children to procure exercise books and textbooks as part of activities marking the “My First Day at School” initiative.

The intervention followed the Mayor’s interaction with pupils from the Aayalolo Cluster of Schools, during which he identified some children who had reported to school without the basic learning materials required to participate fully in lessons.

He also provided a new pair of shoes to one of the children while promising to provide shoes for other children who were facing similar difficulties.

Addressing the media, Mayor Allotey said the intervention formed part of the Assembly’s broader social support efforts and was consistent with the government’s commitment to improving access to education and ensuring that vulnerable children were not left behind.

He noted that it was important for every child to begin the academic year on an equal footing, noting that allowing some pupils to learn with the required materials while others sat without books created an unfair gap from the outset.

He likened the situation to a race in which some participants were allowed to start ahead of others, stressing that every child deserved a fair and equal start in education.

The Mayor urged teachers to promptly draw the attention of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to pupils facing similar challenges, assuring them that the Assembly was ready to intervene where necessary.

The Mayor emphasised that investments made in children today could have far-reaching benefits for the country, noting that any of the pupils could grow to become a future President, Mayor, Minister or leader in another field.

He later appealed to parents, teachers and other stakeholders to work together to ensure that no child was denied the opportunity to learn because of the inability to purchase books, school bags or other essential materials.

Mayor Allotey also encouraged the pupils during an engagement to take their education seriously, respect their teachers, and understand that achieving their ambitions in life starts with the discipline and lessons they received in the classroom.

“If you are going to become a Mayor, President or Minister, it starts from here,” he told the children, urging them to listen attentively to their teachers, study hard and allow God to guide them in everything they did.