Barekese(Ash), Nov. 18, GNA - Mr Baffour Asare-Bediako, an Assistant Director of Education at the Atwima-Nwabiagya District Education Directorate, has attributed youth indiscipline in the country to irresponsible husbands.

He said neglect and improper upbringing of the child at home was a result of broken homes and a major set back for proper youth development.

Mr Asare-Bediako was addressing a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting at Barekese in the Atwima-Nwabiagya district of Ashanti. The meeting discussed the serious in-sanitary environment of the school and other activities to improve teaching and learning. Mr Asare-Bediako said it was the responsibility of parents to instil discipline and moral values in their children and also sought their welfare by providing their basic needs. The provision of quality education, he said, was a collaborative effort of parents, teachers and other stakeholders and that the inability of any of them to perform well would undermine effective educational development.

Mr Richard Owusu-Agyemang, Atwima-Nwabiagya District Community Participation Co-ordinator (CPC), condemned the persistent defecation in classrooms and school premises and called on the perpetrators to stop the practice.

"The filth and human excreta that have engulfed the school pose a serious threat on the health of the teachers and pupils and also a serious indictment on the image and dignity of the community," He added. Mr Owusu-Agyemang, who is also the Public Relations Officer at the directorate, regretted that in spite of persistent petitions, appeals and protests to the community to address the serious health problem by the school authorities had fallen on deaf ears. He therefore, warned that the directorate would close down the school if within two weeks the community and the parents failed to address the problems.

Madam Irene Comfort Badu, Atwima-Nwabiagya District School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Co-ordinator, advised the parents to provide nutritious and balanced diet for their children. Mr John Donkor, the PTA Chairman, pledged to mobilize the parents and other residents to clean-up the school premises and cautioned the perpetrators who defecate in the classrooms to desist from the act, adding, "It is seriously discrediting the image, reputation and dignity of the town."