Kumasi, Feb. 12, GNA – Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, has attributed the high rate of indiscipline among students to the laxity in the enforcement of rules and regulations by school authorities.

He said the Ghana Education Service has rules and regulations that govern the behavior of both students and staff and that school authorities have to be vigilant and apply appropriate punishment and sanctions fairly and to the letter, on offending students to help maintain discipline in their schools.

Mr Ahwoi was addressing the 63rd Speech and Prize giving Day and the 5th Founding Fathers’ and Pioneer Students’ Day, of the Prempeh College in Kumasi on Saturday.

Speaking on the theme, “Stakeholders as Partners in Maintaining Discipline for Academic Excellence”, Mr Ahwoi urged students to inculcate discipline and good moral acts in order to achieve academic excellence.

He expressed concern about the current trend of the use of insulting and intemperate language on the media landscape in the country in total disregard for the elderly and authority and called on religious bodies, civil society and human rights groups to condemn and wage a relentless war against it.

The Minister, who is an old boy of the school, extolled the contribution of the school and its products to the socio-economic, political, religious and health development of the country and advised the current students to take their studies seriously for them to assume responsible positions in future.

Mr Ahwoi presented GH¢36,000 Ucon Vari Compact tractor to the school to support the reactivation of agricultural activities in the school.

The Headmaster of the school, Mr Emmanuel Kwabena Yeboah, said parents have a greater responsibility in the moulding of the behavior of children before they enter the Senior High School (SHS).

He said the school’s authority was committed in instilling discipline in students by strengthening the school’s guidance and counseling unit.

Mr Yeboah said the School presented 572 candidates for the West African School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) in 2011 and obtained 100 per cent pass in all the twenty-four courses presented.

He called on GET Fund to assist the school complete its Science Laboratories and the refurbishment of the Information Communication Technology (ICT) Centre.

Students who had distinguished themselves academically were awarded with prizes.

They were Masters Kwame Donkoh, Kwabena Sarpong and Benjamin Agyare, who emerged best students in forms I , 2 and 3 in that order.

Reverend Mrs Comfort Otoo received the best Teacher Award while past Headmasters, Messrs Ebenezer Afoakwa and Asamoah Owusu Achiaw, were extolled with citations.