GES must stop politics in secondary schools - PPP
The Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to crack the whip on any political party engaged in politicking in second cycle schools in accordance with its own code of ethics and regulations.
“The result of the activities of these political leaders in our schools is the attitude shown by some of these students. We don’t want such experiences to continue any longer to further jeopardise the falling standard of education in the country which will affect our future human capacity,” it said.
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This was contained in a statement signed by its Director of Communications, Mr Felix E. Mantey, on the recent acts of vandalism on some campuses of senior high schools (SHSs) in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
While condemning the acts of the students, it also expressed concern about insulting language of the students and making other disparaging comments about the President.
“No one interested in the future of our nation should encourage such un-Ghanaian like behaviour. In our Ghanaian tradition, we respect the elderly most especially where such elders are in positions of leadership,” it pointed out.
Falling standards
It, however, said: “The recent behaviour of our youth in schools could be the result of the falling standards of education in the country.
“We should understand that Free SHS is not a replacement for quality education where students are expected to learn social virtues that borders on morality and courtesies,” it stated.
The statement noted that instead of making the schools an environment for socialisation that promoted the career aspirations of the youth, a place of training, empowerment and acquisition of knowledge, “various government actors are using the schools for political activities and influencing students to be involved in political campaign activities.”
Complacency
It said more worrying was the use of Free SHS as a tool for complacency in the development of the child where the government had assumed the responsibility of providing students with past questions instead of allowing instructors in the schools to prepare them properly.
It said some government functionaries supplied schools with mock papers containing the images of the President and that of some Members of Parliament of the ruling government.
Quality education
The statement gave the assurance that the PPP would provide quality education to every Ghanaian child when it wins power in the December 7, 2020 election.
“We will standardise school facilities from kindergarten to senior high schools with libraries, toilets, classrooms, kitchen and housing for teachers, playgrounds, etc to facilitate teaching and learning, and ensure free and compulsory education in public schools from kindergarten to senior high school including computer training, vocational and technical training and more importantly a comprehensive sports programme to instil discipline and promote better health for our students,” it stated.
-#GhanaVotes2020
