By Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Enyan-Maim (C/R), April 17, GNA - Teacher training institutions have been admonished to effectively check the backgrounds of students before offering them admission to ensure that only those with desirable character were trained as teachers.
Ms Sarah Baah-Odoom, the Headmistress of Enyan-Maim Community Senior High School, said this would help guard against the rising unethical practices and unprofessionalism exhibited by some teachers to tarnish the image of the noble profession.
"I want to encourage teacher training institutions to do thorough investigations and background checks of all students who apply for admission to ensure people with desirable characters were trained to become teachers."
The Headmistress, who was speaking to the Ghana News Agency on the sidelines of the inauguration of the School’s Board of Governors, said the continued unprofessional behaviour of “some few bad nuts” was an affront to the profession.
She said teachers should show greater commitment, passion and love for their work, and that "teaching is a demanding job and a good teacher should not just be in the profession to make a living but to serve humanity."
Ms Baah-Odoom said they must be seen as role models to their pupils and communities hence the need to possess the right academic and professional qualifications as well as moral fortitude to carry out their work with dignity.
“They must also prepare adequately before going to the classroom, be punctual, patient and give respect to their pupils,” she said.
“To gain the needed reciprocal respect, teachers must guard against indulging in immoral acts, especially keeping inappropriate relationship with female pupils.”
Ms Baah-Odoom expressed concern over the myriad of problems teachers faced including inadequate salaries, lack of motivation, rising tuition cost, deteriorating working conditions, reduced education support services, and inadequate facilities and logistics.
In all of this, teachers were obliged to live above reproach by showing greater commitment and dedication to duty, she said.
Parents, on the other hand, were asked to inculcate in their children good moral principles to enable them to be responsible citizens.
She said parent’s inability to control their children would result in delinquency and indiscipline, which must be avoided.
GNA
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