go but the plight of the young ones who come from BECE, like this one from my constituency -- Mr. Speaker, I will fight it till she gets placement because it is unfair.
Mr. Speaker, when they turn up for re-sitting they are discouraged left and right. I feel that we should come out forcefully with a policy -- all those who are interested should be encouraged to resit. And when it comes to resitting, every condition should be such that it should be easier for them to resit. If it is possible only a minimal fee should be taken from them to enable them to resit.
Mr. Speaker, coming to the issue of supervision which was raised by the hon. Member, supervision is one crucial ingredient in ensuring that teachers and for that matter pupils do the right thing and that education is propelled. Sometimes, I ask myself, even in those schools which are not performing at all, who supervises them? So nobody is aware of what they do there?
Sometimes, it is difficult; I want to say that supervision must be strengthened. If it is possible, for each district to get a four-wheel vehicle -- I do not even think of a motorbike because the nation's future depends on these children. I had the opportunity when I was in the Ministry of Education to enter into the hinterlands to visit some of the schools, and I had a shock, when I got to a school very much in the depths of the Brong Ahafo Region.
In that school there were only two teachers, every teacher posted there runs away. Walking around, I saw shirts washed, immaculately hanged; and I said, “Eh! there must be somebody great in this place.” When I went there, this was the teacher who has stayed there for about six years - the headmaster. I asked him, how are you making it? He said, Madam, I am trying. I said, how have you managed to stay here for eight years, this place?
He said, Madam, anytime that I intend to go, I ask myself: Is there no good one among these? But this teacher had never been recognized; nobody knew what he was doing. I went on straight and asked what the performance of the children was. He said they were doing well. So randomly we selected the children, some of them naked, not even in pants, and asked them a few questions.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of that teacher, I will later give all his particulars so that this House will support me in recommending such teachers, wherever they are; they should be identified to be the best teachers. Mr. Speaker, the random sampling, each side that we selected could speak English, and they could spell because of the dedication of one teacher.
Mr. Speaker, talking about performance also brings in the point of the role of parents. Mr. Speaker, teachers can do what they can but parents have a role to ensure that their children when they get home, at least, they do their home work, spend less time watching television, and spend more time on their books. Sometimes, parents relegate this only to teachers.
We go about looking for money everywhere; if we do not take care we will come back home and the children for whom we are looking for money will not be there even to enjoy the prospects of our riches. Mr. Speaker, parental irresponsibility is too much in this country.
Even when I was in education, even now, there are people in my constituency who keep on telling me, Madam, I do not even know who my father is; madam, my mother does not care whether I eat. Mr. Speaker, if a parent is not prepared to look after the child, let alone help the child educationally, that parent should not
go scot free.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, I am speaking with so much passion because I have been in education. I am a mother, and I know that but for education I would not have been where I am. I call on this House to make it clear to this nation that zero (0) per cent for any school is simply unacceptable. Every teacher, every school should be able to identify at least some who when assisted can make it at least minimally.
Mr. Speaker, the same god who created children from all over, who made them is not different from the god of today. Every child has a potential, every child can make it. Every child is special when given the necessary support; when given the necessary support; every child will be able to make it. Mr. Speaker, it is on this call that I thank you for the opportunity to pour out my heart on this educational matter.
