The Ghana Insurers Association (GIA), with support from the regulator, the National Insurance Commission (NIC), has embarked on a nationwide project to form insurance clubs in schools.
The initiative, according to the association, is hinged on its admission that efforts to promote public education on insurance and provide detailed understanding about the role, benefits and capabilities of the industry had not yielded the desired fruits.
Inaugurating the first insurance club at the Kanda Cluster of Schools in Accra last Thursday, the President of the GIA, Mr Ivan Avereyireh, announced that the association was exploring the possibility of incorporating insurance education into the academic curricula of students of first and second cycle institutions.
According to him, the aim of embarking on such a project is to inculcate in pupils at the tender ages the benefits of insurance so that insurance can be a way of life as they grow into adulthood as future leaders.
“Rather than targeting our mothers and fathers, who have gone past the age of easily acquiring new behaviour traits, it is our plan to reach out to the young ones, who in turn can serve as agents of change to influence parents, relatives and the entire community about insurance and its numerous benefits,” the GIA president said.
Deputy Commissioner of Insurance at the NIC, Mr Simon Davor pointed out that insurance is needed in every aspect of human life whether at home, school or at the workplace.
Mr Davor encouraged the pupils to educate their parents on the need and importance of insurance, saying “we need to let Ghanaians know that the best form of protection for our properties is insurance, not the watchmen, tall walls with strong gates, alarms and CCTV cameras.”
The Circuit Supervisor for the cluster, Mr Israel Martei pledged to co-operate with the insurance authorities in educating the pupils on the importance and benefits of insurance.
“We will educate them on insurance; what it is; the types of insurance that we have; why we should insure at all; who can insure and what protection we have as insured persons,” Mr Martei promised.
He expressed gratitude to the GIA for coming out with what he described as a noble initiative, adding that “we are very proud that it is the Kanda Cluster of Schools that is the first in Ghana to have the club formed.”