Society must help maintain high standards of integrity - Nelly Colman

Mrs Sally Nelly Colman, Assin South District Director of Education, has called on parents, teachers and all stakeholders to make conscious efforts to help the youth maintain high standards of integrity.

She said the youth who are the future of the society must not under any circumstance lack uprightness of thought and action in their engagement with the environment.

It is incumbent on parents, teachers, religious bodies and opinion leaders in the society to behave in an acceptable manner to help shape the young ones.

Mrs Colman said this during the launch of two Integrity Clubs in some selected basic schools in the Assin South Districts of the Central Region.

The formation of the clubs formed part of activities under the “Transparency and Accountability for Higher Quality Education in West Africa (TAHQEWA) Project” aimed at inculcating anti-corruption behaviours in pupils to help fight against the canker.

The Project, funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), is being implemented by the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) in collaboration with the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) in some selected basic schools across some districts in the country.

It is being implemented in three West African countries including Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Niger.

In Ghana, schools across six districts, Asante Akyem South, in the Ashanti Region; Gomoa East and Assin South, both in the Central Region; the Bolgatanga Municipal, in the Upper East Region; South Tongu, in the Volta Region; and the Berekum District of the Brong Ahafo Region are benefitting from the project.

Mrs Colman said there is an urgent need for early introduction of the concept of integrity into the youth and also equip them with the requisite knowledge to uphold high standards of integrity in order to spearhead the change needed.

She said even though morality begins at home, some parents and stakeholders keep shirking their responsibilities saying failure to inculcate in the innocent young ones acceptable moral values will be detrimental to the society.

She expressed the hope that the initiative by GII in preparing young children in schools to embrace the concept of transparency and accountability would go a long way to achieve quality education delivery at the basic schools.

Mr Kwadwo Boahen Mensah Darkwa, District Director of CHRAJ, said corruption has a significant impact on national development and called for the involvement of all in the fight against it.

He said corruption has become so pervasive in the Ghanaian society that it is viewed as a common occurrence by Ghanaians and this requires a lasting solution to it.

Mrs Mary Awelana Addah, Programmes Manager of GII, said the overall objective of the project is to promote a culture of zero tolerance for corruption in schools and instill values such as integrity and patriotism in pupils.

She said to ensure the effective implementation of this effort, GII has partnered with the NCCE to facilitate the formation of the Integrity Clubs adding that under this activity, GII would highlight the values of integrity and anti-corruption as key factors needed for inculcating anti-corruption behaviour in pupils.

She said members of the integrity clubs are expected to become ambassadors in championing anti-corruption behaviours in their respective schools and the communities.