PTAs urged to be proactive

Accra, July 15, GNA - Mr Callistus Kwesi Bismark, Chairman of the Ghana Catholic Youth Council, on Friday urged Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) to be proactive in their responsibilities since they play a crucial role in the smooth running of schools.

Mr Bismark said result-oriented PTAs had been of good assistance to schools in the provision of amenities and therefore called for collaboration between parents and school authorities in addressing the needs of schools.

He made the call on Thursday at the 27th Graduation, Speech and Prize-Giving ceremony of the Catholic Social Advance Institute in Accra under the theme: “The Challenges of Educating the Youth in Private Day School.”

Mr Bismark said private day schools faced unique challenges in the course of their annual students’ admissions.

He said the design and administration of the secondary school system created the situation where top students opted for boarding schools.

The Most Reverend Charles Palmer-Buckle, Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, outlined the virtues of every Catholic institution of learning and formation.

He said these virtues were captured in the Gospel of St. Luke 2: 51-52 which said: “And Jesus went down with Mary and Joseph and came to Nazareth and was obedient to them, and his mother kept all these things in her heart, and Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man.

The Rev Palmer-Buckle urged the students to grow in obedience, in stature and in wisdom before God and man since without these virtues, any education and formation enterprise was bound to fail.

Mrs Ann Boakye-Ansah, Acting Principal of Catholic Social Advance Institute, said the school was founded in 1964 by Dr Helga Kleinkowski, a German social worker, supported by the Catholic Church to train people to become gainfully or self-employed.

She said the school started as a vocational institution but now ran various Senior High School courses as well.

Mrs Boakye-Ansah said there was no admission of students in September 2010 because the Institute had moved from its former location at Adabraka to Mamprobi and announced that it would admit fresh students for the 2011/2012 academic year on August 1, 2011.

She said the institute would soon organise short courses in catering, dressmaking and secretarial programmes for those who did not have time for normal full-time programmes.

Mr Fitz Baffour, Member of Parliament for Ablekuma South, urged the students to respect authority, especially their teachers, and to learn hard.

Mr Baffour promised to provide the school with five computers, library books and a cash of GH¢500.