Bright Kweku Appiah
CHILDREN’S RIGHT advocacy organization, Child’s Rights International (CRI), has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to develop a comprehensive policy to help standardize rules and regulations used by governing authorities of Senior High Schools across the country.
According to CRI, a standardized guide rules would ensure proper integration of Child Welfare Principles in schools.
Executive Director of CRI, Bright Kweku Appiah, who addressed the media yesterday in Accra, said currently the GES had no policy on how schools should fashion out their rules and regulations, some of which have been in existence before the passage of the Welfare Principles of the Children’s Act 560.
“Most of the rules and regulations are to protect the prestige and integrity of the schools rather than the welfare of the child. So we have a system where the school looks at the physical attributes of the child and his ability to conform to the school rules as opposed to protecting and upholding the dignity of children in their care,” he explained.
Mr. Appiah said the current school system should be built on the Welfare Principle and not on the Justice system; adding that the intentions of the school, based on principles, must reflect their willingness to, without exception, always act in the best interest of children.
“Where there is a character of deformation in a child, a collective agenda must be developed towards the sole aim, of correcting and reforming that child. In the opposite instance, a child must be applauded and awarded for exhibiting good character and not determine the discipline or social behaviour of the child based on their outward appearance,” he stressed.
He said the ongoing case regarding the Achimota School’s refusal to admit two boys with dreadlocks was unfortunate; indicating that the stakeholders, including the students, were more concerned about the prestige of the school rather than the dignity and interest of the children involved.
He, thus, urged all stakeholders to look to the development of a collective agreement that truly reflected the Welfare Principle and the importance it placed on upholding the best interest of children above all others in all instances involving them.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri