Accra, Feb 09, GNA - Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence, has called on students to be disciplined in all that they do since it is the only virtue underlining all achievements.

Addressing the 20th Anniversary Speech and Prize Giving Day of the Armed Forces Secondary/Technical School at the Burma Camp in Accra on the theme, 93Quality secondary/technical education, key to meaningful development," the Minister noted that 93Without discipline nothing good or noble can be achieved".

"Discipline require respect for the law and fellow citizens, adhering to laid down rules and regulation, which among other things require the exercise of self control and being conscious of the effect of ones action, words, attitude and even the way one dresses, speaks volumes," he said.

Dr Addo-Kufuor, who is also the MP for the Manhyia, stated that "Indiscipline and quality education cannot co-exist," adding that, "the growing indiscipline in many of our schools had eroded high academic attainment, demoralised the teaching staff and brought sorrow and disappointment to many parents".

The Minister of Defence expressed happiness that the school had lived up to its motto, 93Discipline and Service" and had not been affected by student strikes, violent behaviour, drug abuse and other anti-social tendencies that had hit other institutions. He said that it was a priority of the government to develop the human resource of the country and would improve facilities in public technical schools, build new ones in all the districts to make it accessible to pupils of basic schools.

The Minister stressed the importance of technical and vocational education and said the government would develop them to meet the needs of the labour market.

He said the youth in employment programme, the establishment of a model school in the districts and improving facilities in tertiary institutions were all meant to help build the future workforce of the country.