Strengthen guidance and counseling in pre-tertiary schools

Mr. Joseph Kwabena Onyinah, Ashanti Regional Director of Education, has underlined the need to step-up guidance and counseling in pre-tertiary schools.

This, he said, was necessary not only to aid the students to make the right career choices, but shield them from the bad influences of the internet.

He was addressing the closing ceremony of a five-day training of trainers’ pilot workshop for guidance and counseling coordinators in five selected districts in Kumasi.

They were Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem in the Central Region, Garu-Tempane in Upper East, Lambussie-Kane in Upper West, Savelugu-Nandom in Northern and Afram Plains in the Eastern Region.

Also present were all the regional guidance and counseling coordinators.

It was organized by the Ghana Education Service (GES) with support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

Mr. Onyinah noted that poor access to the internet and other powerful communication gadgets was having negative impact on the youth and hence the need to work harder to give them the necessary protection.

The school authorities, especially the guidance and counseling officers, should do everything to assist students to reject foreign cultures that tended to value indiscipline and violence.

Madam Josephine Pokoo-Aikins, Director, Guidance and Counseling Department of the GES, said a school could only be described as child-friendly if adequate measures were in place to sustain their interest.**