Hills International School in the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region has held its 2022 annual Graduation Ceremony, spiced with a myriad of activities.

Pupils from Kindergarten II, Grade 6 and Grade 9 were presented certificates to indicate their academic progression, while a good number of them who excelled in various disciplines – academic and extra-curricula – were awarded various prizes.

The Private Schools Coordinator for the District, Emelia Norley Sakyi, enjoined parents and guardians not to shirk their responsibilities in the upbringing of the pupils since the holistic training of children has always been a shared responsibility between parents and teachers.

The theme for the 2022 graduation was “The Transformation of the Child, the Role of Parents and Teachers.

She described transformation as a change of a person, situation or thing from one state or form to another, either for a negative or positive purpose.

Mrs Sakyi said while a child is an infant now growing through life’s many stages from childhood to adulthood, parents roles go way beyond merely preparing their children to grow to earn a living.

“They should prepare a child to handle the challenges of life, with morality and quality”, and if these desired morals are not imparted to the child early enough, the child may find it difficult to cope with the ups and downs of life.

Emelia Norley Sakyi said per their unique relations with the child, parents are the best guides for shaping their upbringing – helping them to know wrong from right, helping them to know when to do what, and helping them to be firm in their decision-making.

“Parents are true friends. Every parent is expected to be the best friend of their children, because it helps the children to feel loved and accepted at home even before they leave the home for school and other places.”

She said when they feel accepted and loved at home, they become confident and courageous in whatever they do and they are not easily coerced by friends or peers for the wrong influences that lead them to develop bad behaviours.

Activities to mark the occasion included ballet dances, recitals, choreography, cultural display, cadet display, cultural dances, and what turned out to the highlight, the presentation of the Hills News that captured the rising cost of living in the country in a most hilarious manner – if you previously frequented the market with GHȼ100, next time you may need GHȼ10,000. Blame Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war, according to our politicians, said the newsreader.