CHRAJ advocates guidance and counselling units at basic schools

Koforidua, April 21, GNA - The commission for human rights and Administrative justice (CHRAJ has advocated the institution of guidance and counselling units at the basic school level to help correct the children and avoid caning.

According to CHRAJ, caning was not the best way to correct a child because it inflicted pains and bitterness in the children instead of correcting them.

Mr George Ajovie, the acting Eastern Regional Director of CHRAJ, who said this in a public education forum for schools said a well-established guidance and counselling unit was needed at all basic schools to replace corporal punishment.

He said the commission's main objective was to inculcate the culture of respect for people's rights in accordance with the law, irrespective of age and gender and to encourage teachers and parents to adopt more acceptable ways of bringing up children devoid of violence and inhuman treatments.

He said most often caning children in schools resulted in scars or defects on children, which was illegal according to article 28 of the constitution which states that 'a child shall not be subjected to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment'.

The acting Director said when caning resulted in scars and pains on the children it constituted a violation of the law whereby such teachers could be held liable.

He noted that parents could take teachers who caned their children to court, particularly when the Ghana Education Service had banned it and urged school heads to rather make guidance and counselling available in the schools to check the behaviour and lifestyles of the children.

CHRAJ in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES), held the public education in various schools in the region including Oyoko Methodist, Pope John, New Juaben and Ghana High Senior High schools and engaged both the students and teachers.

GNA

By Bertha Badu-Agyei, GNA