Kpando SHS holds 58th Speech and Prize Giving Day

Some of the girls of the Kpando SHS at the 58th Speech and Pqrize Giving Day

The Board Chairman of the Kpando Senior High School (SHS), Mr. S.W.K. Tsadidey, has called on parents not to neglect their parental responsibility, which he said, was crucial in the education of the child, because the teachers should not be seen as solely responsible for the upbringing of children.

Mr. Tsadidey pointed out that it was important for parents to consider very carefully the challenges globalisation had brought in relation to the lives of the youth, and both parents and teachers should be in position to collaborate with each other in the upbringing of children.

The Board Chairman of the Kpando SHS and a former Principal of Peki College of Education, who made the call at the 58th Speech and Prize Giving Day celebration of the school, noted that the effects of globalisation ought to be tackled with tact, to ensure that the youth did not blindly learn new things that would not promote their development.

Mr. Tsadidey observed that it was unfortunate that in recent times, some parents have simply thrown away sound time-tested Ghanaian child up bringing principles for the fear of human rights activists, and that had led to the situation where some parents left their children to be controlled and brought up by, what he described as computer and internet dictated guidelines.

He continued that the children of today were growing up in an environment full of information gadgets and ways of life which were so attractive that they tend to take the attention of students and pupils away from what should matter to them in their early stages of life.

Mr. Tsadidey said students today carry with them devices in their pockets and bags which enable them to do what he described as unimaginable things in the classrooms, where they were supposed to be working with their teachers to acquire knowledge on the various subjects as part of their preparations for a meaningful life in future.

He was, however, sad that some parents 'have resorted to rearing their children instead of bringing them up. Indeed, in some homes, it is the children that rule the house. No matter what the circumstances, some parents are either too afraid or just plain negligent, and cannot say a definite no to the waywardness of their own offspring.'

Mr. Tsadidey stressed that it behoves parents and teachers to find ways of directing growing children along the path of good conduct and academic excellence, instead of just leaving them on what he called the internet highway, on which they parents could not easily regulate their speed or determine their destinations.

Speaking on the theme for the occasion: 'Infrastructural Development: A Pre-requisite for Increasing Access and Quality Secondary Education in Ghana,' an old student of the school and Managing Director of the Amalgamated Bank (Amalbank), Mr. M.C.D Torkornu, noted that quality education was the collective responsibility of all, and should not be left in the hands of the government alone.

Mr. Torkornu, therefore, called on the old students to help in the provision of the needed infrastructure of the school to promote effective teaching and learning, adding that it was time for old students of the school to unite and start implementing relevant development projects for the development of the school.

The Headmaster of the Kpando SHS, Mr. Francis Mordey, said the total school population of 1,488 students did not correspond with the infrastructure base, as the school, which was classified among first class second cycle institutions, lacked the needed infrastructure.

Mr. Mordey, however, said the school authorities had maintained the high level of discipline among the students over the years that had culminated in the high academic performance the school was noted for, and appealed to the government to help complete an assembly hall complex started in 1978.

The Kpando SHS Headmaster also appealed to the state to help provide accommodation for teachers on the campus, because the situation where almost all the teachers were housed in rented premises in the town, did not help in the promotion of discipline among the students.