The Education Director for the Bongo District, Michael Nyaaba Ayamdor has urged parents to take an active role in shaping their children’s character and behaviour to help curb indiscipline in schools.
He said the growing tendency among some parents to leave the responsibility of disciplining their children entirely to school authorities was contributing to incidents of indiscipline among learners.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Monday October 19, Ayamdor noted that the increasing demands of modern life had left some parents with limited time to supervise and guide their children at home.
“The modern-day parent is so busy that the attention for children at home is not so much, so the work is left for teachers to do the magic,” he said.
He explained that children who were not properly guided and disciplined at home often resisted attempts by teachers to correct their behaviour in school.
“So when children are not well cultured at home and they get to school and you try to straighten them, they resist it,” he added.
Ayamdor also identified substance use and excessive indulgence in aspects of modern life as other factors contributing to indiscipline among learners.
He expressed support for the Minister of Education’s declaration of zero tolerance for indiscipline, assuring that Directors of Education were ready to support measures aimed at addressing the problem.
He, however, emphasised the need to complement disciplinary measures with counselling to help learners understand the consequences of their actions and correct their behaviour.
Ayamdor called for a collective approach involving parents, teachers, school authorities and other stakeholders to tackle indiscipline and promote a conducive environment for teaching and learning.
On challenges confronting the education sector, he said Directors of Education were aware of issues such as inadequate classroom furniture, insufficient teaching and learning materials and other logistical constraints affecting schools.
He explained that the directors continued to communicate these concerns to their superiors whenever opportunities arose, in a bid to secure the necessary interventions.
Ayamdor said the 33rd Annual Conference of Directors of Education, being hosted in the Upper East Regional capital, Bolgatanga, would provide another opportunity for education officials to deliberate on challenges facing the sector and explore measures to improve the quality of education.
The conference, being held at the GNAT Hall from Monday October 19, to Friday October 23, is under the theme: “From Policy to Classroom: District Leadership for Quality Outcomes and 21st Century Skills for National Development.”
Mike 105.3 FM I Navrongo | David Adapuna
