Lead by example, let your children go to school – Kofi Asare to political leaders

The Executive Director of the Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has called for people in political leadership to, as a form of example, show their children have also returned to school to the public.

He said this move will largely motivate other parents in trusting that the measures put in place by the government for the reopening of schools are convincing enough to have their children also return to school.

“Public officials are supposed to lead by example. So, when public decisions are made, the citizenry is more likely to respect and comply when they see that decision makers are taking lead in implementing those particular policies,” he said.

Since the announcement for the reopening of schools by President Akufo-Addo after some ten months of school-going children being at home due to the coronavirus, some public figures have come out to say that they will not be sending their wards back to school.

Many of them have cited the uncertainties and little confidence they have in the measures announced by the government towards welcoming their wards back, and the rising numbers in COVID-19 cases in the country, as reasons.

However, speaking with GhanaWeb, Kofi Asare of the Africa Education Watch believes that these instances should not be generalized albeit it is important that those in leadership appear to be partaking in the same decisions they institute for

“One of the strategies that the government can employ to encourage people to enroll their children in school is that they can ask ministers, MPOs, GES directors, etc. make public statements that they have enrolled their children and that there is no concern to be worried,” he said.

He cited the example of how the Queen of England showed leadership by being the first person to take the COVID-19 vaccine introduced into the United Kingdom, paving the way for everybody to also take it.

"But if they don't, it may not necessarily have a negative on enrolment but we would have missed an opportunity to use our leaders as a conduit to convince others to follow suit," he said.