Raddy Infant School, a private institute for child education in Sogakope, observed this year’s UN Day with a passionate call that stakeholders in child development should strive to promote and protect the rights of children.
Addressing parents, teachers and pupils at a function held at the school to mark the Day, Mr. Emmanuel Louis Agama – District Chief Executive of North Tongu, urged parents and teachers to work hard to safeguard the rights of children as enshrined in the UN Convention.
Mr. Agama said the child’s rights of survival, protection, participation and development are critical to the nurturing of children into responsible adults in society.
“As parents, guardians and teachers, we should affect the lives of children in a positive way, bearing in mind that children are influenced mostly by the activities of society – be they positive or negative; so we must do well to leave good examples for them to follow,” he said.
The UN Day is observed worldwide on October 24 and marks the anniversary of the coming into force in 1945 of the United Nations Charter. The day is devoted to making known to people of the world the aims, objectives and achievements of the world body.
The colourful ceremony at Raddy Infant School marked the first time the Volta Region town of Sogakope was observing the UN Day; and running under the theme ‘Impacting our Community and Beyond’, school authorities focused on showcasing the creative potentials of the wards and pupils of the school.
Little children, with ages ranging from 12 months to five years, thrilled an audience of parents, teachers, district officials and guests with performances which included a world costume parade, singing and choreographed dancing.
The Proprietress, Mrs. Nayram Kyei-Mensah, said the school – founded by the late Madam Ruby Dey, an indefatigable lover of children – is inspired by the strong conviction that the education of children necessarily has to transcend the usual and often perfunctory classroom routines and schedules.
“It is our conviction that education, especially of children, must not be limited to formal classroom work and academics, but should be managed in a rounded and holistic way with the child’s future in mind,” said Mrs. Kyei-Mensah, adding: “Educationists of today need to pay attention to the child’s physical, spiritual, social and emotional needs, as well as academic needs.”
The proprietress said if the right virtues and qualities are purposefully instilled in children at an early age, society can be sure of producing “well-rounded, confident, God-fearing, socially-sensitive and responsible adults” who will play a positive role in the development of their communities and society.
Dr. Momodou Cham, Medical Director at Sogakope’s St. Anne Clinic who chaired the function, said it was thoughtful of the school authorities to let children take centre-stage in the observance of UN Day.
“Yes, writing and reading are basic and necessary, but they must not be taught in a vacuum. They must be put within a certain social context, and the United Nations and what it represents in the world community today cannot be overemphasised,” he told newsmen after the function.
Referring to the children’s exceptional show of knowledge in current affairs at the function, Dr. Cham said: “It is simply a delight to see little children like these bring a sophisticated global institution to our doorstep here in Sogakope. I pray and urge the school authorities to endeavour to ensure that our town gets to experience the UN Day annually”.
thebftonline.com l Ghana
