School children waving at presidents in the sun no big deal – GES

The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service Rev. Jonathan Betteh has downplayed concerns over the several hours pupils were made to stand in the scorching sun to wave at the visiting Ivorian President on Monday.

Some Ghanaians, particularly parents have taken to social media to lament how young children were asked by their school authorities to line up on the sun along the streets of Accra to wave miniature flags at Presidents Akufo-Addo and Alassane Ouattara as they drove through the capital.

Commenting on the development, Rev. Betteh said the spectacle is normal and does not offend any rule.

“If the act is something so bad, the Regional Director of the GES wouldn’t have allowed that to happen. I do not see why we should seek permission from parents before taking them out to wave at dignitaries. There is no policy against children waving at visiting Presidents when they are in town. I honestly do not see anything wrong with the school children lined up to wave at a visiting President, I don’t think it is a big deal,” he told Francis Abban on the Morning Starr Tuesday.

The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) David Ofori Acheampong also endorsed the act but noted that it can lead to loss of instructional hours.

“I don’t think there is anything wrong with the school children welcoming Presidents and dignitaries. But the teaching and learning periods will be lost and teachers will have to do more. The teachers may have to rush students through lessons they lost as a result of welcoming dignitaries”.

But a policy analyst with IMANI Ghana Selorm Brantie argues that the practice must be given a second look.

“Maybe, it is time we revise some of these things. We should look at different ways of getting children get in contact with visiting Presidents. A short visit by the dignitaries to the schools will do as well”.