The internet does not forget; be mindful of your social media activities – MoE cautions students

Educationist and Deputy PRO for the Ministry of Education (MoE), Yaw Opoku Mensah, has advised students to adhere to their schools’ code of conduct and stay away from social media.

Mr Mensah was speaking on the Transformation Agenda Series-Education, a programme initiated by the MoE to bridge the information gap between the public and the ministry, on Class 91.3 FM and Ho 92.5 FM.

He stressed the need for students to follow the code of conduct at their various schools to avoid repercussions.

He further cautioned students on the use of social media. He believes social media is a very powerful tool and such, students should be cautious about what they post on there.

“Social media is a powerful tool and I keep telling students, friends, and young people, that the internet does not forget. Forget about you saying that you deleted an item, it is not deleted,” he warned.

“Definitely, you will have it in your face one day and that is where you’ll [say to] yourself, ‘Had I known!’

“So, had I known shouldn’t be a language we should be enthused [over]. Therefore, it becomes prudent that we do advise ourselves as young men and women so that the future wouldn’t be bleak for us,” he added.

Sighting the dismissed but pardoned Chiana Senior High School students, he urged other students not to repeat the act as they might not be lucky as these eight students. Neither will the internet forget, he emphasised.

“Now as you indicated, they had pardon from His Excellency the President. Maybe you may not be lucky enough to get the same and you ask yourself, ‘Where do I go from that end?

“They have been pardoned but you ask yourself, ‘Will the internet forget?’ Anytime you Google search on these students, their pictures and names pop up. It tells you how important [it is] that we [stay] mindful of our action[s],” he noted.

He further used the opportunity to advise parents to take responsibility for their wards’ education as the government has lifted their educational burden.

“But again, it’s important that parents do take responsibility for their ward’s education.

"Now, the responsibility of getting financial assistance has been taken off your shoulders by the government, and therefore it’s prudent that we as parents have that cordial relationship with the school,” Educationist and Deputy PRO for the Ministry of Education (MoE), Yaw Opoku Mensah advised.