Think beyond Free Education and invest in your wards- Parents charged

An Educationist has urged parents of public school pupils and students to think beyond the free education and invest in their kids education.

According to Dr Samuel Kwesi Nkansah, a senior lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) English department, many parents had neglected all their responsibilities since the inception of the free education which he believes does not augur well for the nation as far as the welfare of the kids was concerned.

He was amazed on how parents of private school kids, aside paying huge school fees, by extension, buy expensive books for their kids, and however bemoaned how some parents of public school pupils refuse to give their wards even food to eat to go to school.

“Is it not surprising that some parents fail to provide their children with basic school needs?…they do not buy books for them, no pens or pencils..some even do not give their children food in the morning because they say government says it is free so they expect government to do everything meanwhile the story is different at the preparatory schools…so sometimes it is not surprising that some preparatory school pupils perform well than some of the pupils in some of the public schools because those parents invest in their wards’ education,” Dr Nkansah expressed

He made this when addressing parents, pupils, teachers and heads of basic schools as a main speaker at the fourth edition of Opanyin Kobbah Acquah memorial reading competition for early grade pupils in Anomabo and Yamoransa circuits at Anomabo.

Speaking on the theme “creating a reading culture for independent literacy: the role of the early grade teacher”, Dr Nkansah said parents have roles to play when it comes to creating a reading culture among early grade pupils by among other things, providing them with their basic school needs and also display learning materials such as pictures and alphabets in their homes and bedrooms.

On teachers, Dr Nkansah said early grade teachers have a pivotal role in helping children to develop and maintain a positive attitude towards reading and literacy.

This he said, was therefore the duty of early grade teachers to among others, first of all demonstrate a passion for reading and act as model readers for their pupils and also provide a rich and varied literacy environment that includes interesting reading materials and engaging multimedia resources such as videos that would reflect the cultural diversity of the school and community.

He said it was time teachers who are fond of spending instructional hours on social media to stop.

At the end of the contest, Emissakrom/ Ekroful Catholic Basic School represented by Alfred Amoah and Yamoransa M/A Basic school also represented by Emmanuel Sam were adjudged first at the Kindergarten two and Basic two levels respectively whiles Anomabo Methodist “A” Basic School chalked the second positions at both the Kindergarten and Basic two levels. Anomabo Anglican “A” Basic School emerged third at the both levels.

Story: Kojo Ata Kakrah Abrowah(KAKA) anthonyabrowah@gmail.com

Photo credit: IkekuQ