Saltpond Lower Town (C/R), April 5, GNA – The Nyimfa Division of the Nkusukum Traditional Area in the Mfantseman Municipality has inaugurated a 12-member committee to oversee delivery of quality education in the traditional area.
The inauguration of the committee followed concerns raised by chiefs and elders at a council meeting at Saltpond Lower Town also known as Nankesedo.
Nana Baa VII, Nyimfahen of Nkusukum and Chief of Nankesedo who presided over the meeting, expressed concern about the fallen standard of education in the Central Region which used to be the citadel of education in the country.
He said indigenes of the region are not taking advantage of first class educational institutions in the Central Region including two state universities and added that the low standard of education in the region should concern chiefs and they must take measures to turn the tide.
The meeting attributed the cause of poor performance of children in school to a number of factors including the misconception of parents that education is free therefore they have no contribution to make towards education of their children, inability of parents, especially fathers, to exert parental control over their children.
The others are parents giving too much right to children, saying unlimited child rights lowered standard of education and cautioned parents to desist from going to schools to attack teachers for disciplining their children.
The meeting urged parents to prevent children from watching television at expense of their books.
The chiefs and elders said Parents/Teacher Associations, apart from financing projects, must also draw programmes to raise education standards.
They appealed to teachers to institute measures to encourage children to learn for example by conducting regular examinations for which awards would be presented to deserving children.
The meeting condemned spending too much on funerals at the expense of children’s education and banned the celebration of one week after death at which the date for observing the funeral for the dead is fixed.
It said the one week must be observed by only family members and few friends devoid of music and food.
The meeting recommended observation of funerals in the area only once in a month and must be organised by the state.
GNA