Chief Justice echoes concern about indiscipline in schools

Cape Coast, March 15 GNA - The Chief Justice, Mr Justice George Kingsley Acquah, on Saturday echoed concern about acts of indiscipline particularly in mission schools, and urged school authorities to put in place adequate behavioural regulations and measures to stem the situation.

He pointed out that, "the path to a disciplined school was a two-way affair", which required such measures on one hand, and the efforts of students, to resolve to behave in accordance with such regulations and measures, on the other hand.

Mr Justice Acquah expressed these concerns at the 94th speech and prize -giving day of the Adisadel College at Cape Coast, under the theme "achieving academic excellence through discipline"

The Chief Justice, who is an old student, told the students that when they are disciplined, they "would be able to do better with their dreams", stressing that achieving academic excellence, required ingredients of discipline such as passion, diligence, a sense of purpose and direction.

He in this regard, entreated them to eschew negative vices that have the tendency of jeopardizing their future, and rather focus on their studies which would earn them respect and admiration.

Touching on the recent publication of the results of the sssce, he said he was unhappy and disappointed about the performance of the school, which is among the few well- established ones in the country. He said subject analysis of the sss certificate examinations of the school from 1995 to 2003, revealed a more disturbing performance than what was really portrayed by the current rating of 24th position.

Mr Justice Acquah said the analysis which was based on 12 selected subjects showed that historically, average results for all subjects of grade 'C' and better, have been between 20 and 40 per cent, but for 2003, average for the same subjects, was 34 percent..

The Chief Justice, noted that all four elective science subjects, biology, physic, chemistry and mathematics, have consistently recorded the lowest results throughout the period, and urged the school authorities to find out the root causes and evolve solutions to the problem to enable the school gain back its past glory.

"The truth of the matter is that the headmaster and his teachers are the human manifestation of the day-to-day administration of the school and if they are not delivering, then we have a problem and a teacher whose subject records very heavy failures, must offer substantial and credible explanation that he is not the problem, and if he is the problem the school should not hesitate to deal with the situation," he stressed.

He also, tasked parents and students to all play their respective roles to uplift the academic image of the school.

Mr Alan Kyeremateng, Minister of Trade, Industry and Presidential Initiatives, and also an old student, expressed concern about the poor performance of the school in the last SSSCE examination and urged the students to work harder to enable them to perform well.

He called for networking among the old students and urged them to remember to contribute towards the development of their alma mater as well as serve as role models for the younger ones.

Mr Jeckel Kitson, headmaster, said the school performed better in the 2003 examination than the previous year, with 352 students qualifying for the universities or other tertiary institutions.

He however, stated that the school, had "accepted their position of 24th as a challenge, and will work towards the top", and that a 17-member task force has been instituted to enhance discipline to improve academic work.

He mentioned problems confronting the school as inadequate water supply, classrooms and dormitories and a library, which is now too small to accommodate the students.

Mr Kitson, expressed concern about the non-payment of school fees and warned that final year students who would still be owing at the beginning of next term, will not be allowed to take their final examination.

The school prefect, Master Nii Akrofi Smart-Abbey, appealed to the old students to help the school acquire a satellite dish to improve students' access information technology, as well as provide it with a language laboratory to enhance the teaching and learning of French. He also appealed to parents to reduce the amount of money they give to their wards as pocket money, since according to him, too much money "tempts them to become vagabonds and break bounds indiscriminately, to spend lavishly on unnecessary things".

Mrs Julia Acquah, presented prizes to deserving students and staff. 15 March 04