List of entities which address issues of Child Rights and Child Abuse in Ghana
Students
According to Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES), it appears that, corporal and inhumane punishment meted out to students is on the rise among Ghanaian schools.
GES is however, regrettable to note in recent times that, there has been increased reported cases of use of corporal punishment of learners who misconduct themselves. This is a confirmation that, most teachers deliberately ignored the directive to ban corporal and inhumane punishment in schools though, Safe Schools Programmes have been initiated as part of efforts aimed at making pre-tertiary schools in the country safe and secured for teaching and learning.
GES has since directed all teachers to adopt the Positive Discipline toolkit as the only measure for correcting misbehaviour of learners in schools. This measures are spelt out in the Positive Discipline Toolkit and the Head Teachers’ Handbook (Appendix 2) in dealing with all discipline issues among children.
Though, the Service has strongly advised against the continued use of corporal punishment in schools and entreated teachers to comply with the earlier directives, they thought it wise to reiterate on entities responsible for handling issues of Child Rights and Child Abuse in Ghana, as a means of cautioning GES staff.
The list of entities outlined by GES in the Regional Level Training manual on Back-to-School Campaign are as follow.
1. Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ)
2. Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU)
3. Department of Children
4. Department of Social Welfare
According to GES, it’s imperative to make the entities available to all staff because, reports on the exposure of children to physical discipline is disheartening.
GES noted that, at least 51% of children aged 5 to 14 years are exposed to severe physical discipline, almost all children (94%) aged 1 to 14 years reported experiencing a form of violent discipline and of the aged groups, physical punishment is highest among 3 to 4 years and lowest among 10 to 14 years.
This, according to GES is creating unsafe school environment for students hence the need to reiterate the entities which address issues of Child Rights and Child Abuse in Ghana to deter individuals especially teachers who are maltreating their students.
SOURCE: Coverghana.com.gh
