Educationist admonishes teachers to apply canes sparingly

The Municipal Director of Education for Ga West, in the Greater Accra Region, has cautioned teachers to resist liberal use of canes since it constitute grave violation of the fundamental human rights of children.

He said caning constitute violation of the principles of the United Nations Policy Document on Child Right and more importantly dehumanise children and eventually make them lose self-esteem.

Mr Daniel Budu Asiedu, told Ghana News Agency at the end of a sensitisation workshop for basic school pupils at the Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC) at Amasaman on Monday.

He said cultural norms and ignorance allow parents and teachers to cow children who are not given the space to speak against actions that violate their fundamental right.

He cautioned teachers against the use of canes or capital punishment as corrective measures since it could put them into the grip of the law.

Mr Asiedu advised teachers to follow the prescribed Ghana Education Service guidelines for punishing school children.

Ms Jamila Ariori, Programmes Officer of HRAC, said school children suffer violence, at home and school.

She said violence such as physical, emotional, sexual, cyber and harmful traditional practices undermine the initiative of the victim, erode his or her self-confidence and called for multi-dimensional approach to deal with the situation.

Ms Ariori enjoined the school child to reject amorous favours from teachers or strangers and report perpetrators to head teachers or masters or girl-child coordinators, social welfare department or the police.

During an open forum participants indicated that victims usually feel reluctant to report perpetrators of defilement and rape cases because  in most cases victims are often required to pay GH¢100 for medical forms and another GH¢100 for medical examination.

Source: GNA