Most African children want to be teachers and doctors – Survey

A survey conducted by the Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) has revealed that most children from poor African countries prefer to be teachers and doctors while their colleagues from the Western affluent world just wanted to be famous.

The survey, which was conducted in 44 countries globally, indicated that children from poor communities in Africa chose careers that would enable them to make ends-meet but those in the Western world wanted careers such as athletes, singers, actors just to make them popular in society.

The survey report which was made available to the Ghana News Agency is part of findings in this year’s annual survey of the CCFC, an international child-centred NGO.

A total of 4,592 children in the age group of 10 and 12 years were interviewed and asked open-ended questions ranging from what their favourite pastimes were and what they would do to protect children if they were leaders in their countries.

In Ghana, children from the Tamale Metropolis, Yendi and Tolon/Kumbungu formed part of the survey, while some children were also interviewed in Kenya, Zambia, Afghanistan, Canada, among others.  It is entitled: “Small Voices, Big Dreams”.

The report said the survey gives a voice to thousands of children whose insights are often muted by the world around them, stressing that, the results would help all ChildFund Alliance member organizations to validate their priorities, enhance programmes and improve the quality of life for children and their families.

It said for more than 50 years, the CCFC has helped and supported children and their families break the cycle of extreme poverty around the globe. The NGO is a member of ChildFund Alliance, a network of 12 child development organizations, whose work encompasses more than 15 million children and their families in 58 countries.

Source: GNA