Game Centres hampering basic education in Ashaiman

Mrs Barichisu Adams, Ashaiman Municipal Deputy Director of Finance and Administration of Ghana Education Service says the activities of Game Centre operators in the area is hampering basic education.

She said school children are taking undue advantage of the shift system being practiced in the Municipality to spend precious schooling hours in Game Centres, which is affecting their academic performance.

Mrs Adams told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Ashaiman on Wednesday that some parents who could not afford to pay their wards fees in private basic schools tend to be contributing to the problem.

She observed that when the pupils are sent home for not paying their fees, they end up spending the rest of the day at the Game Centres.

Mrs Adams said at some of the Game and Video Centres, children are being exposed to pornographic films, which have serious repercussions on them and the nation at large.

She said as playing of video games entail money, some of the children involved might result to stealing in order to finance it.

Mrs Adams appealed to the Ashaiman Municipal Assembly (ASHMA) to enact by-laws banning Game Centres or prohibiting them from entertaining minors.

She urged ASHMA to take the necessary measures to abolish the shift system in public basic schools.

The Deputy Director advised parents to take critical interest in their wards education.

She said some parents hardly attend Parent Teacher Association meetings to know the state of affairs of their children.

Mrs Adams urged parents who could not afford to pay the fees in private basic schools to take advantage of the free education in the public ones to enroll their children.

She said public basic schools in the Municipality are recording steady levels in attendance due to the free education, free meals, free exercise and text books and the capitation grant.

Mrs Adams said the capitation grant is however inadequate and appealed to the government to increase it. She said Ashaiman Municipality beat Tema Metropolis in the 2012 Basic Education Certificate Examination.

She appealed to the striking teachers to reconsider their decision and return to the classroom to prepare their final year students for the pending exams.