Character, leadership training should be part of educational curricular

Tema, July 24, GNA - The Chancellor of the Methodist University College, The Very Rev. Samuel Kwasi Adjepong, has suggested that character and leadership training should be integrated into the country's educational curriculum at all levels of education to ensure that schools turn out disciplined and responsible citizens.

He said the incorporation of moral education in the educational curriculum would result in 'wholesome and well-rounded products', adding that students and pupils should be found worthy not only in academic work but also in good character traits.

Rev Agyepong was speaking at the 30th Anniversary celebration and Speech and Prize giving day of the St. Paul's Methodist Primary School, in Tema, under the theme: "Discipline, a key to excellence, the challenges ahead".

The Reverend Minister observed that the major challenge facing educational institutions today were not so much as to how to deal effectively with acts of indiscipline but how to turn out academically brilliant products who were also disciplined. He recalled the "olden days" when discipline in the traditional set up was a collective effort of members of a community and the insistence of religious bodies on discipline and moral education in their schools and expressed regret that the last three decades of our national history had seen the upsurge of indiscipline and immoral practises in our schools and society.

Rev Agyepong mentioned insubordination, drug abuse, sexual promiscuity, indecent language and dressing, examination malpractices, gangsterism among others as manifestations of youth indiscipline and fallen standards and charged the family, schools, churches and the civil society to find more effective and sustainable ways to inculcate moral values in the youth to make them disciplined and responsible citizens. He urged government to raise the standard of living of the Ghanaian family so that parental responsibility and care for the children would be improved and asked all Ghanaians to support the Vice President's campaign against indiscipline to ensure smooth development.

Maintenance of discipline in educational institutions he added, should not be politicised and explained that 'Direct and indirect interference from the government, traditional leaders, civil society organisations and the media should be avoided. He also advised the students to cultivate self and group discipline and to learn hard to justify the investments made in them by their parents.

The Headmaster of the school, Mr James Mensah, in his report said the school, which started with 12 pupils in 1975, now had a student population of 1,188 made of 595 boys and 593 girls with a teaching staff of 52.

On academics he said the school was one of the first to establish a computer centre to enhance ICT training in the municipality and said it had also established a cr=E8che department for toddlers.

The Girls' Prefect Ms Dorcia Chartey mentioned the lack of a school bus, library and training field for sporting activities as some of the problems confronting the students.