Dearth of knowledge in schools worrying
The media platform, be it traditional or social, remains the easiest means of accessing information for knowledge and enlightenment in any society.
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Years ago, scholarship was demonstrated by people who bought newspapers, listened to radio, watched television and read novels. Those who excelled in various quizzes such as “What do You know” on Radio Ghana and the debates in the schools were people who were ‘addicted’ to news and other social affairs programmes.
Interest in newspapers was demonstrated during big events such as the presentation of the budget to Parliament or on radio, and the President’s broadcast to the nation, with big matches involving top local and international clubs always attracting readers to the newsstands the next day.
Unfortunately, the reading habit has waned, particularly among the youth, and even the adult population who sometimes cite economic conditions for their inability to buy the newspapers.
Ignorance appears to be on the ascendancy among the youth, including university graduates and senior high school students. No wonder, a few years ago, there were reports that a pupil in a school in the countryside said the opposition leader was rather the President of the Republic.
Institutions such as the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and the Information Services Department (ISD), which are responsible for civic education, must step up their efforts to educate the public on their civic duties, important personalities and landmarks of the country.
It may sound innocuous but it is a serious matter of concern for some final-year students of senior high schools in Accra to show crass ignorance when it came to the identity of the Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
This happened when the minister visited the Labone Senior High School in Accra yesterday as part of her tour of centres where this year’s West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is being conducted. About 40 final-year students of the school were not able to identify Prof. Opoku-Agyemang.
We are surprised that the minister, who is always passionate about education, did not utter a word despite the apparent shock her facial expression showed.
The Daily Graphic appeals to all civic and educational institutions to find ways to educate the people on the country, its people, leaders, traditions and values to make our people more knowledgeable and enlightened.
Perhaps, it is about time the government instituted the publication “Know Your Ministers” for the education of our people, to avoid the ignorance displayed by our schoolchildren.