Parents, church leaders and family heads in our communities let us put Education on the 2011 Christmas menu, for considering the appalling results in recent years at the BECE, it is expedient that we do so.<\/p>\n
I recently read Prof. Jangmah\u2019s piece in the Ghanaian Times of how the poor do not sleep and the rich cannot also sleep because of the gulf between them. He suggests that designing an educational agenda that will give educational equal access to both the rich and poor will get both of them to sleep soundly.<\/p>\n
Nana Oye Lithur also in the Daily Graphic of Tuesday, 20th December advised that when parents, especially fathers, are compelled to pay child support, we will see an improvement in child education and better protection of rights of children to food, shelter, health care and clothing.<\/p>\n
People in education cannot agree more with the ideas shared by these two knowledgeable persons.<\/p>\n
I am saying \u201clet us put Education on the Christmas menu\u201d in addition to all the chicken, biscuits, booze, crossing overs and passing overs.<\/p>\n
I have been travelling a bit in the past two weeks; Cape Coast, Ati Morkwaa, Twifo Praso, Foso, Obrachire, Ada, Ve, Ho, Hohoe and Accra. Look at the vehicular traffic in Accra! I guess all the hustle to the markets is preparing for Christmas holidays – 24th December to 2nd January – and then school reopens, and then school fees pups up like a cork.<\/p>\n
Yes, Christmas affords people an opportunity to reflect, have time together and give gifts.<\/p>\n
I am urging parents, family heads, community leaders and church leaders to add the discussion of quality education, the 2012 BECE on the menu. Family heads should ask themselves:<\/p>\n
1. How many young people in their family have dropped out of school in the past three years?
2. How many young people failed their BECE in 2011?
3. How many females in their family have had university education in the past three years?
4. Are there any BECE candidates preparing for the 2012 battle?<\/p>\n
We can go on and on but my simple message is that even as a nation this Christmas could be dedicated to reflecting on the educational fortunes of our young people.<\/p>\n
In 2005 a pilgrimage took me to all the district capitals and some villages in the Western Region. I spent time meeting chiefs, children, politicians, and big shorts in education. It is from my findings that I believe that Education is a matter that needs to be discussed at Christmas, so that even as we are passing over or crossing over at the stadium, independence square, Bethel Methodist in Takoradi, or St. Joseph\u2019s Cathedral in the Volta Region, we will put education, especially the 2012 BECE on the menu.<\/p>\n
Parents especially have the responsibility to move to get to the heart of the issue and take on the challenge to improve the situation. First and foremost, the children are our own, before the nation or community.<\/p>\n
Charles N. D. Cobbina, kempescob@yahoo.com Parents, church leaders and family heads in our communities let us put Education on the 2011 Christmas menu, for considering the appalling results in recent years at the BECE, it is expedient that we do so. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n
The writer is the Executive Director or ORPED Ghana \/ CEO of Million Balls Project.<\/em><\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"