Regional News of Monday, 26 July 2004

Source: GNA

PTA expresses concern over discipline at Osei Kyeretwie Sec. Sch.

Kumasi, July 26, GNA - The Parent/Teacher Association (PTA) of Osei Kyeretwie Secondary School in Kumasi has unanimously endorsed the decision by the school's authorities to repeat any student who would fail three of the eight mandatory subjects at any internal promotion examination.

The PTA also mandated the headmaster and staff to employ acceptable methods to enforce discipline among the students.

The Association took the decisions at its annual meeting at the school in the wake of recent disturbances by students that culminated in the temporary closedown of the school.

Members deplored the students' "unwarranted behaviour" and resolved to support the school authorities in dealing with any student who might flout rules and regulations.

Mr D.K. Asamoah, chairman of the association, appealed to parents to advise their children to abide by the school's laid-down rules and regulations.

Mr K. Opuni-Boachie, Headmaster, mentioned some basic factors hindering discipline in the school, which included the use of cell phones by the students and the emergence of groups with such names as Al-Qaeda, Taleban, Disturbing the Peace (DTP) and Gangsters Israel Club. To check these developments, the headmaster announced that, visiting hours were restricted to first Sundays of each month and the students were also to attend classes during weekends.

Mr Opuni-Boachie said, as much as 127 million cedis were indebted to the school, as fees, a situation that he said had set back development programmes.

He appealed to the PTA to assist in fencing the school's 168-acre campus to ward-off encroachers to enhance discipline. Members later inspected a newly completed two-storey boys' dormitory built with PTA funds as part of preparations to merge the school's two sites next academic year.