Maintain discipline in schools - Educational institutions urged

A High Court Judge, Justice Charles Adjei Wilson, has called on teachers and authorities of educational institutions to be diligent in their duties as professionals and maintain a high level of discipline in schools.

He said teachers were surrogate parents since they supervised students under their care, and urged  staff of educational institutions to take the necessary measures to provide a safe educational environment for students. Justice Wilson made the call at the 78th Speech and Prize Giving Day of Ghanata Senior High School at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region. The ceremony was on the theme: "Ghanata at 78, the way forward, discipline and Effects".

He pointed out that “even though human rights policy justifies freedom of dressing and expression, indecent appearance or mockery dresses cannot be condoned and added that ‘Dress and appearances should be regulated by the school authorities, to reflect our cultural values’.

He urged students to pay particular attention to their studies, be disciplined and law abiding , and added that parents, teachers and school authorities had a shared responsibility to assist in the development of the youth by supervising them effectively and letting them be disciplined to make them responsible future leaders. 

Justice Wilson said secondary education prepared most people for tertiary education, the world of work and social life and stressed that “it is, therefore, expected that senior high school should provide quality and holistic education, that prepares young people physically, mentally, emotionally and morally for family relations and nation building”.

The headmaster of the school, Mr Benjamin Apperkon, in his address, said the school was faced  with numerous challenges and mentioned lack of access roads to the school and within the school as well as inadequate accommodation for staff which had prevented teachers from accepting posting to the school as the notable ones.

 He appealed to the government and philanthropic organisations and individuals to come to the aid of the school by constructing a wall to ward off encroachers. 

Dr Ernestina Safoa Donkor, the acting Dean of Nursing of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, paid tribute to founder members of the school for their foresight and dedication to the establishment of the school.