The Unit Head, Planning and Statistics at the Ghana Education Service (GES) of the La Madina Nkwantanang District, Mr Kingsley Adzraku, has called on heads of schools not to only focus on academic achievements of students, but on the total development of the child.
Mr Adraku said this at the graduation of 66 pupils of Elim Schools Limited at Madina on Friday which was held on the theme “The parent’s role in the educational development of the child.”
The ceremony saw 23 children each graduating from kindergarten to class one and from class six to Junior High School (JHS) respectively.
Also 20 pupils who had completed their Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) were graduated and were made to take the oath of alumni with the pledge of coming back to help the school after their education.
Mr Adraku said children had the right to learn, play, grow and be nurtured as well as that right to education.
Touching on the theme, Mr Adraku said education was a shared responsibility for both government, school authorities and parents, adding that paying school fees, provision of books and uniforms for the child did not end the role of parents in the life of the children.
He said instilling virtues and bridging the gap between the school and home were some of the major responsibilities of parents.
Mr Adraku also mentioned that parents were also supposed to know the teachers and the close friends of their children stating that “these people influence the lives of your children.”
He indicated that it was time parents were interested in the contents their children were exposed to on social media, adding that some contents were not good for them.
“Create an enabling environment at home for theirtotal development of the child just as it is created at the school,” he said.
He also called on teachers to know the strengths of the students, prepare lessons and urged them not to ignore pupils with special needs.
The Headmaster of the school, Mr Henry Laudson said the administration of the school was guided by the mission to nurture and train children who would appreciate importance of sound moral upbringing, acquire firm academic foundation and render valuable service to mankind in the future.
He said it also aimed at helping the pupils welcome the importance of their culture as well as that of other countries in order to socialise perfectly, and be equipped to face the challenges of life with confidence.
According to Mr Laudson, a child’s performance at school depended on how he was treated at home, saying that children were inspired by what their parents do, say and how they relate to others in the society.
He said parents were the first teachers of their children and they had key roles in shaping their lives, and called on them to be role models to the children while maintaining good parent-teacher relationships.
BY JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU
