Physician Assistant identifies discipline as ingredient for national progress

Accra, July 31, GNA – Mrs Juliana Kuatsinu, Principal Physician Assistant of the Trades Union Congress Clinic in Accra has noted that through discipline Ghana could have a cultured and responsible youth to run the country in future.

“Parents too can contribute by spending quality time with the child, and taking a deeper interest in what is happening at school and by making efforts to meet the teachers...to make their children schooling more productive and satisfying,” she added.

Mrs Kuatsinu made the observation at the graduation and speech and prize-giving day of California Star School Complex at Omajor in the Ga West Municipality in the Greater Accra Region at the weekend on the theme: “Discipline: Hallmark of Producing Future Leaders of Distinction.”

She said the positive approach to discipline was to instil a sense of responsibility in students by using youth/adult partnerships to develop and share clear rules, provide daily opportunities for success.

She noted that parents do not notice that by giving in to their children's demands, they are making them uncontrollable and a menace to the society.

Mr Kuatsinu said parents do that as a result of alienating children and would want to make them happy realising that they were losing their family support system for their old age.

“Parents begin to give in to everything that their growing teenagers demand, just to keep them happy and in his or her good books...,” she stressed.

The Principal Physician Assistant said to increase positive behaviour in schools there should be an effective principals who would be liked and respected, rather than feared, communicate caring for students as well as willingness to impose punishment if necessary.

She said discipline was something one must cultivate from home and school and urged the pupils to show respect by learning to say; “thank you” and “please” to adults and be ready to assist their parents at home.

“Co-operate with school authorities to achieve goals. Be punctual at school and consistent with home work. Dress in a decent way, 'no Otto Pfister' or 'I am aware' dressing. For you girls wear simple and nice hairdo to school. No stealing of pens, pencils and erasers, ask and it should be given to you. Don't join bad company. You will only get bad advice. Do not play truant,” Mrs Kuatsinu said.

Mr Edward K. Manu, Proprietor of the school said the academic facility started with 18 pupils but now has a population of 500 and had chalked out 100 per cent for four consecutive years in the Basic Education Certificate Examination.

He called on the government to extend the Capitation Grant to private schools operating in the deprived communities.

“Because of our peculiar location we offer fee-free education to school going children from the crèche, nursery, kindergarten one and two, when the school introduced this support system about a year ago and more than 60 pupils have enrolled in both the crèche and the nursery,” Mr Manu said.

GNA