Veep expresses concern about indiscipline among students

Aburi (E/R) July 16, GNA - Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama at the weekend expressed concern about the spate of indiscipline in some second cycle schools and said it had vindicated Government for launching "The Campaign for Greater Discipline".

He stressed: "Various acts of indiscipline such as drug abuse; robbery; examination malpractices; truancy, rioting organised sexual escapades, attacking of school authorities and destruction of public property have occurred in many of our schools." Vice President Alhaji Mahama was speaking at the 60th Anniversary of Aburi Girls' Secondary School at Aburi in the Eastern Region, on the theme: "Preparing the Girl Child to Face the Challenges of the 21st Century."

He said immodest dressing code among the youth was inconsistent with the country's culture and values.

The Vice President enjoined all sections of society to take up and to sustain the campaign against indiscipline until the social canker was completely eradicated.

"We need to reorient ourselves in all aspects of our lives to enhance national development and progress," he said. Vice President Alhaji Mahama congratulated the Parent-Teacher Association the Old Girls Association of the School for providing four boreholes, three apartments and 10 biogas toilets among other facilities.

"I would like to remind teachers of their responsibility to this School and mother Ghana," adding that students expected their teachers to live beyond reproach and to give them examples of good conduct, humility, punctuality, honesty, devotion to duty and responsibility. He said it was expected that the School, which was founded on sound religious and moral foundation would continue to be example of public morality and patriotism.

Vice President Alhaji Mahama pledged to source 500 million cedis from the Ghana Education Trust Fund to build a fence wall around the school to ward off criminals and miscreants, who invaded the School's premises.

He also made a personal donation of 20 million cedis to the School.

Mr Yaw Barimah, Eastern Regional Minister, acclaimed the virtue of discipline left behind by the Basel Missionaries, who founded the School and introduced the Presbyterian Church in Ghana.

Mrs Sylvia Asempa, Headmistress of the School, expressed dissatisfaction that despite the introduction of the Computerised School Selection and Placement System some parents still flocked the School to seek admission for their children. She called for intensive awareness drive among parents on the computerisation programme.

The Right Reverend Dr Yaw Frimpong Manso, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, whose speech was read on his behalf, expressed satisfaction that for a period of 10 years the student population of the school had increased from 720 to 1,400. He tasked the school authorities to build upon their achievements, saying: "Development is a process."