The Volta Regional Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr Fidelis S.K. Attoh, has said it is pertinent to encourage schoolchildren to imbibe the virtues of nationalism, patriotism and responsible behaviour as the cornerstone for good governance and good citizenship.
He said these were the cardinal virtues and values cherished by a people of a nation and which would serve as an intellectual property in their lives.
Mr Attoh said this when he addressed the opening ceremony of the regional showcase of “The Project Citizen Ghana” for 13 senior and junior high schools drawn from the Ho municipality in Ho on Tuesday.
The four–day programme was on the theme, “ Consolidating Democracy through Youth Participation” and sponsored by the Hanns Seidel Stiftung Foundation.
The project citizen is a rejuvenated civic education programme that seeks to make the youth conscious of the political climate and what pertains in their communities.
The concept intends to assist students to express their opinions on issues, identify the agencies responsible for various problems, how to influence policy decisions at various levels and how to develop action plans towards the resolution of identified problems.
The showcase is an assessment of the students’ ability to present a portfolio on the importance of problems identified, their alternative policies, chosen policies and to demonstrate the part they will play in support of their chosen policies.
According to Mr Attoh, the showcase is a portfolio-based approach, a strategy of collective and shared responsibility, a division of labour concept that involves all in decision-making and implementation processes to move society forward.
In an address, the Deputy Director of the Ho Municipal Education Directorate, Mr E.K.G. Agyieman, said democracy had assumed a new dimension, adding that without the youth, it could not function effectively.
He, therefore, advised them as students to check their lifestyle because posterity would judge them one day when they were ripe to take the mantle of leadership, adding that they should ensure that they always did the right thing.
For her part, a Co-director of project citizen, Mrs Fanny Kumah, said there was the need for the youth to acquire knowledge of the country, the constitution, the government and civic skills to be able to become effective citizens.
Mrs Kumah also said they should develop critical thinking and analytical minds to be able to discern vile propaganda messages of political campaigns, and that they should cultivate the spirit of patriotism, truthfulness, honesty, self-discipline and respect for others.
“When we talk of qualitative citizenship, we should be able to monitor and influence public opinion,” she said.
The function was chaired by the Assistant Headmaster of Mawuli Senior High School, Mr Alfred Noble Atteh.
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