Let’s inculcate responsible citizenship in children - Says EC Chair
The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission (EC), Mrs Charlotte Osei, has underscored the need for schoolchildren to be educated on becoming responsible citizens at an early stage.
She said that if children were educated on responsible citizenship at an early stage, they would grow up becoming responsible and trustworthy.
"Whatever values we want to see in adults, it is believed that if we start educating children now, they will grow up having made them a part of their lives. If children are not taught about value systems now, it will be too late when they become adults," she said.
Interacting with a group of students from the Englebert International School in Accra on good citizenship and tax payment, Mrs Osei urged them to pass on the message of rightfully paying taxes to their parents.
Her interaction with the students form part of this year’s Citizenship Week celebration of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE). The event was held in 4,500 schools and had about 1,200,000 students participating nationwide.
Perfect Ghana
In her engagement with the schoolchildren, Mrs Osei enquired of them what they would consider to be a perfect Ghana.
The schoolchildren said they would want the country to have peace, good security, a decent healthcare system, controlled street hawking and be clean.
A student who was alarmed over reports of bribery and corruption, especially among officers of the Ghana Police Service, questioned the EC chairperson on the issue.
The student was of the view that such a situation involving adults was bound to have a telling effect on them (children) in the future.
Response
For her part, the Headmistress of Englebert International School, Ms Victoria Adoma Mensah, observed that even though the students were young, they were intelligent and understood the discussions, adding that it was important for them to receive such education at such young ages.
She also added her voice to the discussion on tax payment and urged all working Ghanaians to pay their taxes for the good of the country.
She made the children understand that all they wanted to become could materialise if only all working adults paid their taxes.
“If some people pay their taxes and others do not, it prevents the government from achieving what it intends to do. I urge you, therefore, to inform your parents to pay their taxes for the government to come by money and develop the country,” she stated.