A board Member of the Boy Child Support­ive Care Foundation (BCSCF), Reverend Father Hector Quartey, has urged government and agencies responsible for education to establish a dedicated de­partment for guidance and counseling in schools.

According to him, this department would provide a safe and confidential space for students to share their concerns and challenges with trained professionals instead of confiding in teachers who were not trained in that field.

Rev. Fr Quartey made the call at an outreach session with some Basic and Ju­nior High School boys in the Dome-Kwabenya Constituency to commemorate the Interna­tional Day of the Boy Child.

It was organised by the BCSCF on the theme; “Boys and Their Mental Well-Being, their Needs to Feel Happy, Healthy and Valued within Family and Community.”

International Day of the Boy Child is a day celebrated annually on May 16, to recog­nise the importance of boys’ wellbeing and some challeng­es they face.

“By creating such a system, the foundation believes that schools can better support students, including both boys and girls, and help them overcome their challenges,” the Board Member noted.

Additionally, he asserted that creating such a depart­ment would allow students to feel more comfortable discussing sensitive issues with professionals who were not their teachers, allowing for more open and honest communication, that would enable schools to identify and address issues earlier and provide targeted support to students who needed it most.

Rev. Quartey stated that statistics show that boys were more likely to strug­gle with drug addiction and other issues due to societal expectations and upbringing, adding that to combat this, the organisation provides support and guidance to help boys develop positive values and wayward behaviours.

“The foundation’s ultimate goal is to promote positive masculinity and empower young males to become re­sponsible and caring individ­uals who contribute to the well-being of their commu­nities, by working together with schools and government agencies,” he said.

The Founder and Chief Execu¬tive Officer of BCSCF, Ms Edna Korama Yamoah, said the outreach that brought together over 1,000 boys focused on the mental health and well-being of a boy child.

This, she said aimed to raise awareness about the challenges boys face, includ­ing depression and mental health issues, drug addiction among others.

She emphasised the need for more support and under­standing for boys, who were often perceived as being more resilient than girls.

“Boys are more vulnerable than girls in many ways, so its important government dedicate the day to celebrat­ing the boy child and provide support for organisations working to promote their well-being,” she highlighted.

 By Cecilia Yada Lagba