Editorial
Significance of Easter
Once again, the occasion of Easter will soon be with us and the need to reflect on our lives as a nation to do away with what is bad while embracing what is good to rebuild our individual lifestyles as well as our nation.
Easter should not be taken for granted. Rather, all Ghanaians must carefully reflect on the occasion and think of the great lessons that can be derived from it towards the fulfilment of our national aspirations.
The occasion is a Christian event that is celebrated every year to mark the resurrection of Christ after His crucifixion and death on the cross. This eventful moment shows that Christ gave His body and poured out His blood as a sacrifice for mankind.
Easter is closely linked to Good Friday the day on which Christ was crucified. This is because without the crucifixion there would not have been the Resurrection or Easter. Many people celebrate the event every year and participate in the activities involved in the celebration but unfortunately forget to take note of its significance.
The death of Christ offered liberation, hope and good life for mankind, signifying that people must always think of what they can do to liberate society and help others to enjoy better life. At various levels of society, people must be selfless and think about what they can do for their communities rather than what they can gain from society.
The concern of everyone in this case must be to ensure that others enjoy better life even if it means that they themselves are going to be denied of certain pleasures of life. It is not easy to allow death to come upon oneself as did happen in the case of Jesus Christ.
Before His death, He was mocked, teased, disgraced and humiliated even though He did not deserve to experience such things. Christ accepted to go through all this for the sake of mankind. If this is the case, then everyone must adopt this positive character on behalf of others in society to raise the quality of life of everyone.
It is equally important to note that Christ, after the resurrection, did not seek to pay back those who played a role in His condemnation and crucifixion. He forgave everyone claiming that they did not know what they were doing.
The great lesson here is that as individuals we need to promote unity, accommodate unfair treatments from others and be prepared to forgive and forget. It is important to go by this principle to manifest the selfless spirit of Christ in our daily lives.
Again, people must be concerned with what is good for the progress of society. This calls for truth, honesty, hard work, transparency and commitment always to achieve what is best for society. At the same time, people must move away from negative tendencies such as drunkenness, dishonesty, greed, selfishness, stealing, embezzlement, corruption, deceit and sexual immorality during occasions such as this.
Easter marks the end of the Holy Week in the Christian calendar and must, therefore, be adhered to and observed as such. The principles of Easter will continue to remain with us until the end of our lives so while we live on this earth, it is incumbent on us to strive for what is good and eschew evil even under very difficult circumstances so as to be able to propel ourselves and the entire country to a higher pedestal of socio-economic development.
The Spectator calls on all Ghanaians to reflect on the coming Good Friday and Easter and pick lessons from them to rebuild our nation.
Editorial
Indiscipline in schools worrying, need to address it
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.
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.
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.
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.
Editorial
Bring back Osu Street Carnival
Dear Editor,
I write to passionately appeal to the authorities bring back one of Accra’s beautiful events, the Osu ‘Oxford’ Street Carnival.
It produced a dazzling celebration of music, dance, food, and business. The Osu Street Carnival was more than a festive street event.
It was a unifying force that brought together people from all walks of life-Ghanaians and tourists alike to celebrate the beauty of our culture.
The festival had costumed dancers to vibrant street performances and delicious local cuisine while local manufacturers display their wares.
Sadly, in recent years, the carnival has faded into memory.
The absence has left a void for fun lovers who trouped the event in their numbers.
This appeal goes to the authorities in charge to reintroduce it as a way of boosting our tourism and the local economy.
Esinam, South La Estates