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General News of Sunday, 3 August 2003

Source: GNA

Stop orgainsing extra classes for toddlers - Educationist.

Apremdo (W/R) Aug. 2, - GNA- Teachers and proprietors of Nursery schools and kindergartens within the Shama Ahanta East Metropolitan Area (SAEMA) have been cautioned to stop organizing extra classes for their pupils.

Mrs Rebecca Dadzie, Metrpolitan Direcotr of Education said children of such ages need a lot of rest, recreation and social integration and not extra classes.

She was speaking at the 40th anniversary and speech and prize giving day of the Myohaung Forces Junior Secondary School at Apremdo near Takoradi on Thursday on the theme: "The school and the community sustaining the partnership in education".

She expressed regret that many schoolteachers and proprietors use the extra classes to exploit parents at the expense of the health and mental development of the child.

Mrs. Dadzie urged teachers to ensure discipline among their pupils and appealed to parents, to ensure that their children do not spend long hours watching television and playing video games.

Mrs. Dadzie advised parents to provide the educational needs of their children, assist them to study at home and monitor their habits. She appealed to foster parents to treat children in their care with love, sympathy and avoid engaging them in tedious work to the detriment of their education.

Major Solomon Asafo-Adjei, Second Garrison Education Officer, expressed regret that educational standards in barracks schools are falling and called on teachers, parents and the community to co-operate and reverse the trend.

He appealed to parents to assist their children in their education and stop asking teachers to repeat them in a class, since such practices overburden teachers and school facilities.

Mr. Herbert H. Hansh, headmaster of the school said the students from the school have over the past years performed creditably in sports, but stressed that lack of pipe-borne water, library, inadequate classrooms, football and netball fields have had adverse effects on the school's activities.

Encroachment on the schools lands by estate developers is also a major problem confronting the school.

The Ghana Cement Foundation donated 150 bags of cement for the construction of a library and computer centre for the school. Book prizes, certificates and citations were presented to outstanding students, teachers and PTA executives.