Attacks On Schools Condemned

The Ministry of Education is to collaborate with the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General to enact a law to prosecute communities whose activities are a threat to teaching and learning. The measure has become necessary due to media reports of rampant attacks on schools in those communities. Lee Ocran, Minister of Education disclosed this at a luncheon for The President�s Independence Day Award Winners in Accra on Monday. He warned that �it is time attacks on schools by communities must stop, otherwise the Ministry of Education will deal ruthlessly with communities after the enactment of a law to protect school authorities�. Mr. Ocran pointed out that the upsurge of attacks on schools by communities was unacceptable and must not be countenanced since school authorities had the right to discipline truancy in schools. Parents must also encourage discipline to enhance teaching and learning. He called on Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) in schools to endeavour to peacefully co-exist with the various school authorities to reduce the menace of brutalities in the schools. Mr. Ocran advised the award winners not to relent on their oars but strive hard to serve as role models for others to emulate. �As award winners you have become role models for your communities and an inspiration for those who think that being handicapped cannot climb the education ladder�, he stressed. Mr. Ocran explained that �it is not the sole responsibility of schools to monitor the progress of pupils and students but it is the prerogative of parents to support school authorities in molding their children instead of attacks on them�. He questioned whether if staff of schools were transferred as requested by some communities, those communities would be able to teach the pupils. It would be recalled that incidents of brutalities on community schools has been a worry to education authorities as reported The TIMES recently reported the incidents at Duffor and Agbekotsekpo both in the Dangme West districts.