The Director of Golden Steps Group of Schools, Robert Atia, has re-emphasized the importance of career day celebrations in schools and their implications for parents and children.
He spoke on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East show hosted by Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith on July 18, 2024.
Mr. Atia, while admitting that career day celebrations place a financial burden on parents, said parents have often been the ones demanding the organization of Career Days.
He was quick to add that the events also place financial burdens on the schools and disrupt the academic calendar, a situation that is unpleasant for the school.
All the demerits notwithstanding, Mr. Atia explained that the career day celebrations have been helpful for the students.
“There are other ugly sides to it, but it is not without some help for the children,” he said.
He continued by citing an example that in their days, they wanted to become lawyers, teachers, and nurses without even knowing the uniforms that were required, not to mention having or wearing them. He added that they didn’t even know the name of the wigs that lawyers wear, which is called “court wigs,” but through the help that teachers give to children to research their professions before career day, children get more knowledge on what they want to do, and once given the uniform, they are able to tell what uniforms they are wearing and what is required of the profession.
When asked about what happens to children who prefer professions that had no official uniforms, Mr. Atia explained that some students who indicated interest in professions such as farming dressed and wore Wellington boots while holding hoes. Others who wanted to be musicians dressed to mimic performing artistes while those who wanted to be journalists came along with microphones.
He emphasized that the schools do not make any profit from career day celebrations, at least in his experience.
The Golden Step Academy director, Mr. Atia, restated that while he had no interest in career day, parents, through PTA meetings, forced him to introduce it after 12 years of his school’s existence. He also said that some parents took their children out of his school because he was not organizing career day.
He added, “It is educative, entertaining and socializing but the cost must be looked at.”
It would be recalled that William Nlanjerbor Jalulah, the Upper East Regional chairman for the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), raised questions about the relevance of “Career Day” events in private schools, expressing particular concerns over the financial implications.
Mr. Jalulah was also concerned about the ages of the children involved.
“Children of five years, six years, seven years, and you say that the child should tell the profession she wants to do. And parents will have to sew uniforms or dresses that will match with the profession the child is choosing and then they will go to the school in that attire,” Mr. Jalulah remarked.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com|101.1MHZ|Mary Billa|Bolgatanga|
