Show interest in child's education - says GJA President

Accra, 16 Sept, GNA - Mr. Ransford Tetteh, President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), has appealed to parents to show supreme interest in the education of their children by establishing good relationship with the schools that they attend. "This way, the child's problem or weakness can be discussed early with his or her teacher for solution before it becomes a major one". He was speaking at the Golden Sunbeam Montessori School's 18th Speech and Prize Giving Day and Graduation of those who sat for the BECE this year.

Mr. Tetteh, who was the Guest Speaker, said parents should instil into their children traditional system of living by teaching the child personal hygiene, how to relate with others and what to do and what not to do before the they start school.

He advised parents to show interest in the well being of their children by providing them with their basic needs. "Research has shown that children who learn in hunger and also lack basic things like clothing and good place to sleep suffer a lot before they internalise what they are taught".

He said one other way by which parents could make their children grow to become responsible adults was by monitoring what they watch on television and listen to on radio.

Mr. Tetteh called on parents to be truthful to their children by honouring all promises that they make to them since that would serve as a form of motivation.

The GJA President appealed to parents not to force their children into courses and professions that they did not like since that would not help in bring out the best in them. Mr. Emmanuel Kwao Xeflide, the Headmaster, said out of the 33 pupils that the school presented for the BECE exams, 10 candidates had grade 6 in all the 10 subjects.

Twenty-five also had grade 6 ranging between 6 ones to 9 ones, three candidates passed with aggregates 7, four candidates had aggregate 8, one candidate also passed with aggregate 10 which was the school's worst grade.

He said out of the 10 pupils who had 10 ones, three of them were on scholarship offered by the school.

Mr. Xeflide said plans were far advanced by the school for the establishment of a Senior High School this academic year. He said the school had also put in an application letter with the British Council for it to be established as a centre for Cambridge General Certificate of Secondary Education with effect from this academic year.

He said the school in its effort in boosting the study of ICT, had provided all the pupils with E-mail addresses and also made some teachers undergo training in ICT to meet the challenges ahead. "In our school, all teachers type their exams questions and enter the marks into an Electronic School Administration Database for the end of term reports", he said.

Awards were presented to best and well behaved pupils in each class. 16 Sept, 07