Accra, Dec 10, GNA – Miss Monica Ankrah, Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, has asked newly inaugurated Governing Board of Kaneshi Senior High Technical School (KATECO) to work closely with Management to ensure discipline in the School.
She said a good working relationship would create a conducive atmosphere for teaching and learning, improve academic performance of students and contribute to churning out good citizens for societal and national development.
Miss Ankrah said this in view of recent cases of indiscipline, including student unrest in some senior high schools across the country, noting that such situation had the tendency of impeding the academic performance of students, progress of schools and societies.
“Indiscipline among staff, students’ unrest and students’ unwillingness to sit down and study in our schools have reached levels that are not only disturbing but also threaten the very existence of society.”
“These days, students wait until final examination before they try to be serious with their books. When this fails, then they have no option than to resort to examination malpractices,” Ms Ankrah noted, and urged the students to desist from such acts.
The Director told the Board that, “as Board members, it is binding on you to help the school authorities to maintain a high level of discipline at all times to promote effective teaching and learning, which obviously would improve and maintain good WASSCE results of the school.”
She also urged the Headmistress to always consult the Board on all major issues to avoid the “we were not consulted syndrome” which she said created suspicion between Boards and school administrations.
The outgoing Board Chair of the School, Apostle Kotei-Afutu, bemoaned acts of indiscipline among students of the School, and recounted times that some old students had to chase students out of “Zorzor,” a popular hide out for KATECO students.
“There are still some areas that the new Board must intensify efforts to improve; the first is discipline. Lack of parental control and excessive interference by the community make disciplining recalcitrant students quite difficult.”
He, therefore, urged the Board to strengthen the Parent-Teachers Association (PTA) to assist in solving the problems of truancy, absenteeism, lateness and vandalism.
He also encouraged the Board to work with all stakeholders to ensure the completion of ongoing 18-unit classroom project to accommodate the growing student population and make teaching and learning more effective.
Mr Robert Nii-Adu Arday, a member of the 13-member Governing Board, expressed appreciation for their selection to hold the position for the next three years, and pledged commitment of the Board to the task.
The Board members are: Ms Ankrah, Regional Director, Mrs Pearl Bruce, KATECO Headmistress, Mad Magaret Korri, Director General’s representative, and Mrs Monica Ansaba Kumahor, Municipal Education Director.
The others are: Mr Kweku Sersah-Johnson, and Mr Arday, both old students’ representative, Madam Doris Okine Adade, teaching staff representative, Mr Victor Kudzo Bondorn, non-teaching staff representative, and Mr Jonathan Nii Quaye, Traditional Authorities’ representative.
The rest are: Mr Charles Opoku and Ellen Nelle Quaye, both representatives from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) with Mrs Judith Amoateng Ennin, a non-elected member as the Secretary to the Board.
GNA