International Day of The African Child

Press Release

International Day of The African Child

“ActionAid Ghana Calls for Positive Discipline in Schools to Promote Quality Education”

On June 16 every year, the African Union and its partners in the global community celebrate the International Day of the African Child, to commemorate the 1976 protests by school children in Soweto, South Africa. The students had mobilised to present a stronger voice against the apartheid-inspired education system, which perpetuated gross discrimination and inequality. The protests were met with a brutal and ruthless response from the security agencies, resulting in the death of some of the students, all of whom unarmed and harmless. In recognition of the principle students stood for, 16 June was set aside by the African Union in 1991, as the Day of the African Child.

This year’s theme for the Day of the African Child is “A child friendly, free and compulsory education for all children in Africa.” As Ghana joins the world to observe the Day, ActionAid Ghana calls for the promotion of a conducive and favourable learning environment in schools for all Ghanaian children. In many schools in Ghana, children learn under difficult and unbearable conditions, which affect their performance and quality of education. While children’s rights to free, compulsory and quality education are usually promoted, we have not given closer attention to their rights in education. Children have rights that must be observed and respected by their teachers, supervisors and other actors whose activities impact on learning and teaching.

To mark the 2014 Day of the African Child, ActionAid Ghana brought together 128 children from 8 schools in the Kadjebi district in the Volta region, to debate on why positive discipline should be used in schools instead of corporal punishment. The event was attended by dignitaries such as the District Chief Executive, the District Coordinating Director and the Deputy District Director of Education and representatives of stakeholder institutions and agencies.

The students gave very interesting views about the use of corporal punishment and positive discipline as tools of correction in school and their effects on learning and the quality of education. At the end of the debate there were clear indications that they preferred a violent free school environment where positive discipline would be the most effective means to promote and protect their rights while in school.

ActionAid Ghana has over the years promoted successful campaigns on positive discipline in schools, as a practical way of ensuring that children’s rights to and in education are promoted by those who exercise professional or supervisory authority over them. This, we believe, would ensure a friendly environment that will facilitate a quality, free and compulsory education for all children.

ActionAid Ghana is committed to achieving a world without poverty and injustice where every person enjoys their right to life with dignity. We work in solidarity with people living in poverty in deprived and rural communities, helping and empowering them to improve their lives.

ActionAid has worked in Ghana for 24 years and operates in 6 regions in Ghana, helping more than two million people in 226 communities. In partnership with our communities and local organisations, we work to ensure that people living in poverty are able to access their right to food, education and citizen participation while promoting equity between men and women.

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First Media Contact: Kwesi Tawiah-Tawiah

Public Relations and Communications Coordinator

Email: Benjamin.Tawiah@actionaid.org

Tel: 0507712476

Second Contact: Dorothy Konadu

Programme Manager, Greater Accra and Volta Local Rights Programme

Email: Dorothy.Konadu@actionaid.org

Tel: 0244371925