From Donald Eshun, New Bortianor (G/A)

Mr. Anthony Kwaku Amoah, a Public Relations Officer of Ghana Education Service (GES), has urged schools to involve parents in choosing senior high, technical and vocational schools for children.

Speaking at a special career guidance session titled, “Knowing Your Personality for a Good Career” for some 100 pupils of Rachel Shiloh Schools Complex, a private basic school in Accra, Mr. Anthony Amoah expressed regret at the way the supposedly interesting exercise of having to place successful candidates of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) into senior high schools has become an event for weeping and mourning by pupils and some parents in recent times.

According to him, until schools fully involve parents in helping pupils to choose their preferred schools and programmes of study, the situation where some parents reject schools and programmes of their wards would continue, adding, “Parents are the major beneficiaries of successful children and so the need to involve them in every stage of child education and training, including choice of schools and programmes of study”.

“Let me use this time to advise teachers and pupils against the tendency of choosing schools and programmes for pupils without the pupils themselves and parents knowing what exactly happen in such schools. Teachers and parents should assist pupils in all areas of education to prevent the discontent and anxiety that most pupils face”, he said.

Miss Rosemond Nutifafa Adanuti, a teacher and counsellor with GES, urged schools to continue to help pupils identify and develop their talents, skills and potentialities.

Miss Adanuti advised the participants to learn the good qualities of teachers for better life, adding, “Observe your teachers well and try to emulate their positive lifestyles. Teachers are role models so listen to them and respect them for your own good in future”.

Mrs. Rachel Shiloh, the proprietress of the school, said that her school, which is within its 15 years of its establishment, has produced pupils who are now students in what she described as, “top senior high schools in the country doing very good courses.”

She said she would always engage the services of professionals and resource persons to contribute to the delivery of quality education service to pupils.