TUCEE launches nationwide guidance, counselling project

The Technology Ubiquity, Counselling and clean Environment in Education (TUCEE), at the weekend unveiled a scheme, designed to set up guidance and counselling centres in schools and communities across the country.

The project dubbed: “Counsellor for Each School In Ghana initiative” has been established to collaborate with stakeholders in education to reach every child with guidance and counselling services.

Mrs Cecilia Tutu-Danquah, Chief Executive Officer of TUCEE, expressed worry about the fading away of Ghanaian traditions that allow community members to accept, support, discipline and guide children.

“It is now considered wrong, inappropriate or violation of basic human right to discipline a child… even when the child has wronged the society or individual,” she said.

Mrs Tutu-Danquah said most parents are also too busy to guide, discipline or support their wards, who turn to peers and strangers when confronted with psychological and societal challenges.

She observed that the situation is responsible for most youth engaging in social vices including armed robbery, sexual immorality and drug addiction as well as youth unemployment.

According to a report by the Anamuah-Mensah Committee on Educational Review, the rising wave of crime and indiscipline in the country could be attributed to the inadequacy of guidance and counselling.

Mrs Tutu-Danquah said, under the project, professional training would be given to counsellors to offer services that enhance effective development of hidden abilities, interests, aptitudes and attitudes for self-fulfilment among students.

“We believe that one sure way to achieve quality education is by promoting and providing quality and comprehensive child-centred guidance and counselling programmes in our schools and communities,” she said.

She called on corporate bodies, parents, non-governmental organisations and stakeholders in education to support the initiative to help reduce the social menace engulfing the society.

Source: GNA