Accra, June 15, GNA - Mr Ransford Tetteh, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), on Friday called on stakeholders in education to work with one accord to ensure meaningful implementation of the new education reforms.
He said the new reforms, which take off in September this year, would run for four years and called for the full participation of the stakeholders to meet the challenges ahead.
Speaking at the 55th Speech and Prize-Giving Day of the St. Thomas Aquinas Senior Secondary School in Accra, the GJA President who is also an old boy, said implementing the reform would not be that smooth considering the fact that resources might not be readily available to carry the process through.
"This is why the government must immediately make teachers part of the process to remove the dissatisfaction from a major stakeholder. The reform process of the 1980s suffered considerably as a result of lack of broad consultation in the process."
The day, which was under the theme: "Addressing the Challenges of the New Educational Reforms: The Role of the Stakeholders" was attended by old students including Professor George Hagan, Chairman of National Commission Culture and Mr Martin Loh, Director of NAFTI.
Mr Tetteh noted that the changes in the reform would not work if concrete steps were not taken to make the reform all encompassing. He noted that the socialisation and academic education of a child were aided by the involvement of students, parents, teachers and the community and called on parents to play their role since the child's first and foremost teacher, who are parents, were also experts and teachers should learn from them.
"Parents' involvement is more than the parent being a field trip helper or lunch lady. Parent need to be asked about how their children learn best. They need to share their career expertise with the children."
He advised the students not engage in immoral and violent crimes that would lead to demonstrations resulting in their dismissal or suspension.
Mr. Tetteh urged the students to reject mediocrity and take advantage of opportunities to develop themselves beyond satisfactory achievements in order to be among the best in their class, schools, communities they live in and the country as a whole.
Mr. Frank K. Bebli, headmaster of the school, giving his report for 2006 to 2007, said the school in their 2005/2006 examination results showed an improvement over the previous year with 100 percent passes in 10 subjects out of the 27 subjects.
He mentioned problems such as lack of school bus for educational trips, sports wears, delay in the completion of the three-story classroom block and a drainage which had gone through the school creating problems when it rained. It also needed library books, computers, sports and science equipment.
Mr Bebli commended the Parent-Teacher Association for their numerous contributions in ensuring that the school was run smoothly. The Most Reverend Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of the Catholic Church, urged the students to be guided by these five points - think Ghana, love Ghana, pray for Ghana, serve Ghana and die for Ghana.
"After Ghana at 50 years, you should always ask yourself what you can do for Ghana and not what Ghana can do for you. You are an answer to what can make the country a better place to live in and that is what you should think of."
