Tema, May 09, GNA - Teachers within Tema Municipality have resolved not to use the cane in school even as a pointer while teaching with immediate effect.

They would only talk to children who misbehave by way of discipline; recalcitrant children would be referred to the school authorities for further action and the parents "to discipline their own children." This was a consensus reached on Tuesday at the Teachers' Resource Centre at Tema where they converged after supporting a colleague facing trial in Tema Circuit Court "A" for causing harm to a student from caning.

Alice William, a Social Studies teacher of Sakumono Complex School was charged with causing harm in the left eye of Miss Georgina Archer a 12-year-old Junior Secondary School (JSS) one student. The accused who is pregnant, pleaded not guilty and was granted 100 million cedis bail with two sureties to re-appear on June 8. Addressing the teachers, Mrs Lucy Kwapong, Tema Municipal Director of Education said the case was a bitter lesson to teachers saying "All attempts have been made to settle the case by settling the hospital bills but parents of the complainant refused to agree." She pleaded with them that should the accused be committed to a fine they must all contribute towards it, the teachers willingly agreed. Mr George Asare Yamoah, Tema Municipal Chairman of Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) explained that the teachers were supporting their colleague in line with their motto, "Touch one touch all."

He described their failure of not attending classes as not a strike action but "a show of support to enable the world know that the right of the teacher has been trampled upon for a longer time." Mr Yamoah asked the teachers to go home, rest and report for work on Wednesday to prove that "We love the children more than their parents." On the use of cane in schools, he said; "if it becomes necessary that it should be used, parents would be made to provide them." 09 May 06