NCCE Bawku Municipal Engages Bawku SHS Students on Peaceful Coexistence and National Cohesion

In response to recent disturbances between students and teachers at Bawku Senior High School (SHS), the Bawku Municipal Office of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) organized a civic education programme to promote peaceful coexistence, discipline and national cohesion among students.

The engagement formed part of the Commission’s constitutional mandate to educate citizens on their civic rights and responsibilities and promote democratic values, peaceful living and respect for the rule of law.

Speaking during the engagement, the Bawku Municipal Director of the NCCE, Mr. Daniel Baya Laar, drew the students’ attention to Article 41 of the 1992 Constitution, which outlines the fundamental duties of citizens.

He reminded the students of their responsibility to promote harmony, respect the rights of others, protect public property, obey lawful authority, and contribute positively to the peace and unity of Ghana.

Mr. Laar emphasized that every Ghanaian, regardless of age, cultural background or social status, has a role to play in preserving peace and strengthening national cohesion.

He further stressed that schools must remain safe spaces for learning, personal development and character formation. He therefore urged the students to avoid behaviors that threaten the peace of the school and instead cultivate tolerance, mutual respect, discipline and patriotism.

The programme brought together hundreds of students and members of staff in an interactive session focused on dialogue, tolerance and respect within the school community. Students were encouraged to embrace peaceful means of resolving disagreements and uphold discipline as an essential foundation for academic excellence and national development.

Also present was the Bawku Municipal Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), Miss Modester, who educated the students on the mandate of the Commission.

Miss Modester explained that CHRAJ is an independent constitutional body established under Article 216 of the 1992 Constitution. She noted that the Commission has a triple mandate: the protection and promotion of human rights, promotion of administrative justice, and prevention and investigation of corruption.

The interactive nature of the engagement allowed students to ask questions, share concerns, and propose practical ways of maintaining peace and cordial relationships between students and teachers on campus.

In a response, Mr. Thomas Korsah, a member of the school’s Guidance and Counselling Department, expressed appreciation to the NCCE for organizing the timely engagement.

He appealed to the Commission to organize similar programmes more frequently, noting that students of Bawku SHS pay close attention to the Commission’s messages and are more likely to put the advice into practice.

The NCCE reaffirmed its commitment to working with educational institutions and other stakeholders to promote constitutional awareness, peaceful coexistence and responsible citizenship among the youth.

The Commission further emphasized that young people are important contributors to Ghana’s democratic development and sustainable national development and therefore must be equipped with the knowledge and values needed to become responsible citizens and agents of peace.