19 August 2005

Child's character development a parent's responsibility

"The Ministry of Education's announcement of a new values curriculum in response to a perceived failure on the part of parents to instil values in their children is likely to further erode parental responsibility, whilst increasing the influence of the state", says Maxim Institute Director and former Principal, Bruce Logan.

Research conducted by Colmar Brunton for Maxim Institute in 2004, found that 84% of parents believed that schools should be allowed to teach their individual community's positive values. Less than one third of parents (30%) believe the Ministry of Education should decide what their children learn in school.

"Education has a role to play in reinforcing the values taught at home, but any teaching of values, or better still, virtues, must stir the moral imagination before it can influence behaviour. This is one reason why the traditional teaching of literature and history must be brought back into the classroom-despite being politically incorrect", says Logan.

"Lifting the cap on integrated schools would allow more parents to send their children to a special character school which reflects the values they teach in the home. Giving parents more freedom to choose the values their children are taught is preferable to increased central direction", says Bruce Logan.

"Parents are primarily responsible for instilling values in their children. Not even the best teacher is able to compensate for a parent's failure to model good character on a daily basis in the home", says Logan.

ENDS

© Scoop Media