Mr John Kissi, Global President for FLEX, has called on parents and school authorities to support children to identify their talents and potentials to enable them channel their strength to achieve academic excellence.

He said it is not enough for students to score “As” and “A plus” but rather the importance for them to develop soft skills like communication skills, interpersonal skills to enhance their effectiveness.

Mr Kissi made the call at the second edition of the National Youth Leadership Conference on the theme: “Inspiring our youth towards higher levels of aspiration and achievement: A Vital tool for National Development” and dubbed “Youth Empowerment for Success: YES 2012” in Accra.

Foundation for Leadership Excellence (FLEX) is a UK- based non-for-profit organisation that seeks to help individuals to develop a healthy self esteem and key life skills that would support them to enhance their personal and professional effectiveness.

He said it is rather unfortunate as a nation “we do not as yet have an agreed youth development policy and our educational system has been subjected to undue political influence.”

He noted that the educational sector is the area which should be a subject of cross-party agreement, since it is the future of the country.

Mr Kissi called on politicians to serve as role models and mentors for the youth by trading ideas and not insults.

“I also want to use this opportunity to urge those who have qualified to register in the forthcoming biometric registration exercise to do so and make sure they exercise their franchise as citizens in a very peaceful manner,” he noted.

Mr Kafui Dey, a TV presenter, said the youth needs to be allowed to express themselves to enable them contribute meaningfully to national development.

He called on the youth to take advantage of the opportunity provided by the internet to empower themselves for future challenges.**