Ghanaian children see teachers as heroes - Survey

A survey conducted by the Christian’s Children Fund of Canada (CCFC) has revealed that many children in the country take inspiration from their teachers and, therefore, emulate their examples as their heroes and role models.

The survey, which captured 100 Ghanaian children out of 6500 children globally on the Small Voices Big Dream Survey, carried out by the CCFC, indicated that 36.7 percent of children saw their teachers as heroes followed by politicians who polled 19 percent while health workers polled 17 percent among others.

Mrs Gifty Akosua Baka, CCFC Country Director, made this known in Tamale on Tuesday during a press conference organised by the CCFC to draw the media’s attention to the concerns of children and how stakeholders could take advantage to develop programme tailored at children.

The survey, which was the fourth in series, organised by the Child Fund Alliance of which CCFC was a member, was an annual survey which reinforces the sophisticated understanding of children about the reasons why they should be listened to on decisions about what affects them and why they should be consulted on world’s decisions.

Mrs Baka said at the global level, the survey indicated that children from developing countries were more concerned about poverty, domestic violence and social conflicts as sources of violence and found education as the solution while children from developed countries ranked drug and alcohol abuse as sources of violence.

The Country Director said the survey placed supreme premium on the family as the safety net and their family members as role models.

She said the survey, which in Ghana was conducted in the three northern regions, indicated that 70 per cent of the respondents were concerned about violence in their social environment.

Mrs Baka recommended the sustenance of the interest of children noting that education authorities must ensure that the school environment were safe noting that it should ensure strict compliance to the Children Act to ensure their safety.