International Day of Education commemorated in Cape Coast
The Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC), has commemorated this year's International Day of Education with a call on education managers and stakeholders to make punitive codes more transformative.
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The Director-General of the institute, Dr Michael Boakye-Yiadom, said school authorities have critical roles to play in the total development of learners.
He said they must train learners rather than harden them with hateful punitive punishments.
The United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), have set aside January 24, annually as International Day of Education.
This year's celebration, which is the sixth since its inception, was on the theme: "Learning for lasting peace".
The IEPA celebrated the day with an educational forum at the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind.
Effects
Dr Boakye-Yiadom said the victims were usually left with emotional and psychological scars which he said were hard to heal, thus causing them to hate the system and structures.
He, therefore, said every punishment must be educational and transformative and must result in correction and not embarrass or humiliate the offender.
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Dr Boakye-Yiadom also said education must be adopted as an essential tool for lasting peace in families, classrooms, workplaces, places of worship, communities and nations.
The students
"Learning for peace must be transformative and help empower learners with the necessary knowledge, values, attitudes, skills and behaviours to become agents of peace in their communities,” he added.
The director-general also said values such as honesty, empathy, respect and tolerance for one another must be imbibed in learners in communities of diverse races, cultures, religions and political differences.
He also expressed concern over the surge in violent conflicts with an alarming rise in discrimination, racism, xenophobia and hate speech.
Dr Boakye-Yiadom said education must not only be seen as a tool for sustainable peace but also for conflict resolution and a catalyst for peace.
He urged students to be respectful, tolerant and honest in dealing with colleagues and authority at all times.
Teamwork
The Cape Coast Metropolitan Director of Education, Phyllis Asante Krobea, said the education curriculum must aim at promoting teamwork and out-of-class exercises to build learner's tolerance and respect for one another.
The headmaster of the school, Abraham Anang Yemoson, commended the IEPA for the engagement and said it would promote peaceful coexistence among learners, staff and school management.
As a UNESCO Category II Centre of Excellence for West Africa, the IEPA is mandated to build and strengthen the capacity of planners, administrators and leaders, including those in the educational sector.