Don't involve Your Students in Partisan Politics - Afenyo-markin Urges Teachers

The Majority Leader of Parliament and MP for Effutu, Hon Alexander Afenyo-Markin has urged teachers within the Constituency and beyond not to involve their students with their partisan politics in classrooms.

He said teachers like any other Ghanaians have the right to do partisan politics to shape their political ideologies ahead of the December 7, 2024 election but they must restrain from.involving their pupil.

“It’s an election year, you may have your views on the politics that we’re doing, but people have their views. But as teachers, please avoid unnecessary acrimony in the school. Debate your issues, but don’t let it get out of hand. Don’t let us polarise the educational environment. Your children that you are teaching, don’t extend to them”, he said.

According to the Majority Leader, such practice polarises the educational environment, creating acrimony between students.

Mr Afenyo-markin made this comment during the distribution of laptops to teachers from the Effutu municipality as part of his one-teacher-one-laptop initiative.

“You have your views, please do your critique, do your recommendations in a very healthy atmosphere, we need it. The politics of insults will not help the country. I should be able to rise on my feet and debate my respected colleague on the other side, Dr Ato Forson and his team on issues.

“And thereafter, we take tea, a cup of coffee, fruit juice or enjoy ‘waakye’, that is the beauty of democracy. In those advanced countries, that’s what they do.”

Notwithstanding, Mr Afenyo-markin said he remained committee to the well being of teachers, hence the laptops to support their research work meet the modern demands of a teacher.

He however advised the teachers to put the Laptops to good use to enhance their teaching.

He said , “Teachers we want to help you educate our kids. You need the necessary tools, in this era of Artificial Intelligence, if you don’t get the necessary tools, you will be left behind. And the kids may even know more than you.

“Please make good use of it, research and impart knowledge. Fortunately, in Effutu today, we have libraries all over. You have the resources in our libraries to tap into to educate the little ones,” the Effutu MP said.

On behalf of her colleague teachers, Ms Rejoice Arhin expressed gratitude to the Effutu lawmaker for his support and promised they would use the laptops for the purpose intended.

The Teachers were led by Director of Education for Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa District, Mr Seth Emmanuel Panwum.