DCE urges assemblies to give attention to guidance and counselling

programmes.

Ekumfi Abor (C/R), May 5, GNA - The Mfantseman District Chief Executive, Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur has called for funding of guidance and counselling programmes by the district, municipal and metropolitan assemblies.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur expressed concern about the haphazard manner this important aspect of human life was being handled in the country and said if guidance and counselling programmes were handled properly and intensified they would go a long way to promote good parenting. The DCE was speaking at a seminar at Ekumfi Abor on good parenting, organised by Guidance and Counselling Students of the Department of Psychology and Education of University of Education, Winneba.

The seminar formed part of their end of semester examination. Mrs Emelia O. Adu, who led the group members in the discussion of their paper said parenting did not necessarily mean the bringing up of one's own biological child but nurturing or bringing up a child in an ideal manner.

Mrs Adu said although a child as born into a family, its training should not rest only on the parents but also on other members of the community so that it can grow up to become an asset to the society. "The cock that crows at dawn belongs to a household but its voice is the property of the whole neighbourhood".

Mrs Adu quoted Chinua Achebe to support her assertion, saying the more children experience pleasant positive social relations with adults especially parents, the greater their chance of growing up to have more pleasant positive social relationship with other people.

She said globalisation and technological advancement which was currently moving at a very fast pace, made it imperative for this generation to explore in order to become abreast with modern trends. In an attempt to respond to these challenges many people especially adolescents fell into troubles and were misled by peers.

She however expressed regret that the present economic situation worldwide made it difficult and sometimes impossible for parents to spend quality time with their children and as a result many children depended on their peers for direction.

Mrs Adu said parents should endeavour to cope with marital hardships and learn to adjust to uncomfortable situations for the sake of the children since dissolution of marriages have adverse effect on their children's development.

"In training children parents should practise consistently what they teach or preach and do all in their power to provide the children good parental care which includes good food, shelter, good health, formal and informal education, recreation, finance guidance and counselling," she said.

Mrs Adu added that if all members of the family played their roles and discharged their responsibilities effectively, the family would develop and improve its quality of life. Mr Abraham Blay, Central Regional Manager of Methodist Education Unit, said one needed not be rich before becoming a responsible and good parent.