6th March Anniversary parades; Outlook on basic schools in Ghana

In the wake of contemporary changes and developments in the Basic Educational School Structure, it is quite worrying that the culture of school kids across the country been subjected to 'marching rehearsals' (a preliminary marching training for 6th March anniversary ceremony) keep showcasing its head yearly.

Though, the annual celebration of the 6th March anniversary is laudable, its significance on the life of school pupils is crushed through the abuse, and needless laboriousness to which parade rehearsals' are carried out.

One sense of Ghana's Independence is to instill a pride of committed nationalism/ patriotism that would awaken the individual to strive for national development in his/her respective field. It is however worrying that, the ceremony across schools have just been reduced to a mere march past.

A scanned across schools in the country make visible the fact that, pupils with ages <10yrs are engaged by schools in this annual 'ritual'

Aside the loss of valuable instructional hours (2hrs or more daily in some cases), the whole arduous exercise creates room for teacher/pupil absenteeism, teacher/pupil apathy towards teaching and learning etc.

It is with this sense of urgency, that the Ghana Educational Directorates, Parent-Teacher Associations, Teacher Unions, and other stakeholders should streamlined the 6th March anniversary celebrations in schools to promote teachers/pupils' productivity.

Career guidance and counselling programmes, edu- symposium, drama and poetry recitals, health talks/walk, film shows, quizzes, etc are equally rich stuffs that could be infused into the celebration.