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Editorial

 Indiscipline in schools worrying, need to address it

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 In recent years there has been growing concern over the be­haviour of Senior High School (SHS) students in Ghana.

Notable among them is indis­cipline, disrespect for authority, sexual immorality, substance abuse, betting, cheating during examina­tion among others.

Recently, parents were stunned when the headmistress of Aggrey Memorial Senior High School, Mrs. Dorothy Adentwi-Hayford, displayed seized condoms, pills, and unau­thorised items from students at the school’s Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) meeting in Cape Coast.

Reports say that in a firm stance against growing indiscipline in the school, she placed the confiscated items on the high table as a visual illustration of the moral and disci­plinary challenges some students posed.

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Although the Headmistress declined to name the culprits, she assured parents that appropriate disciplinary actions, alongside coun­selling would be taken.

According to the Headmistress while the majority of students were disciplined a persistent few stu­dents continued to exhibit deviant behaviours that undermined the school’s standards.

Citing examples she noted that sneaking out without exeat, bully­ing, stealing, truancy, and general apathy towards academic work, was the order of the day.

What is so disturbing is that some parents attack the school verbally and place curses on school authorities for disciplining their wards without verifying the facts.

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Such behaviour is uncalled for and the Spectator wants such parents to desist from that, instead they should collaborate with school authorities to find the best way to deal with indiscipline among students.

Parents must also take an active interest in their children’s welfare beyond just providing for their ma­terial needs and investigate issues when their children return home with complaints before jumping into conclusion.

These days the school’s structure has changed and with the increasing numbers without any corporal pun­ishment school authorities find it difficult to discipline the children.

The behaviour of majority of students in schools is very disheart­ening. While some students take their studies seriously, others have taken to the use of drugs, sex, oc­cultism, betting and all kinds of bad behaviours.

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Corporal punishment has its own advantages and disadvantages and if the Ghana Education Service (GES) is not ready to reintroduce corporal punishment, then school authori­ties must be extra vigilant and put in stricter disciplinary measures to restore order in schools.

Most SHS students are in their teenage stages, a stage character­ised by all kinds of behaviours and peer pressure activities so they must not be left alone, rather they must be guided as they explore the world.

The Spectator urges all stake­holders to make concerted efforts to check indiscipline and moral decadence in schools.

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Editorial

Who is behind Kaajaano demolition?

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Some of the debris after the demolishing

Dear Editor,

I wish to use this esteemed platform to urge the traditional councils of Osu and La to call for independent investigation into the recent demolition exercise at Kaajaano.

The exercise rendered hundreds homeless.

Information about the reason for the demolition has been scanty with those desiring to know feeding heavily on social media posts.

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One particular name –Jato, has been associated with it but under whose instruction the exercise was carried is also not known.

Sadly, instead of getting to know who ordered the demolition and for what reasons, traditional authorities of Osu and La have been embroiled in a tug-of-war over ownership of the said land.

This is premature. At this moment, they should call for investigation into the exercise to know the people behind it.

When that is done, then discussions about the owners of the site can begin. That would end the posture of the two neighbouring town which has the potential to turn into something else.

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Ataa Osa Mensah,

Osu

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Editorial

Create awareness on use of Ghana pesewa coins

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Dear Editor,

I wish to use your respected platform to draw the attention of the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to the behaviour of traders and some drivers about the use of lower denomination coins, specifically the 20 and 10 pesewas.

About two weeks ago, I read in your sister newspaper, The Ghanaian Times about this problem and the caution that followed from the BoG and some economic analysts.

The warning they gave was that the continuous rejection of the notes could create pricing problems which can eventually affect inflation.

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I thought that would put to bed that practice or refusal to accept the coins when given out as change or use to pay for particular service.

Unfortunately, the problem still persist among traders, drivers, customers and passengers alike. Only last week, there was as altercation in the Accra Central area where a woman refused to accept five 20 pesewas note totaling one cedi.

As the argument continued, the trader decided not to sell to the customer again after by-standers explained to her that it was still a legal tender and those that refused it could become offenders.

This is an issue the BoG and other regulatory agencies must go and explain to the people and let them know that it is unlawful not to accept a currency that is still in use.

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It nothing was done, it could create a much more serious problems.

Mary Osei Badu,

Swedru

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