Public schools teachers were conspicuously absent at the Independence Anniversary parade at the Jubilee Park in Sunyani, which saw about 1,392 pupils and students participating.
The students were drawn from 58 basic and second cycle institutions in the Sunyani Circuit ‘B’ educational sector.
Some voluntary organisations in the municipality also participated in the parade, which had Cadet Commander Lieutenant Ntsiful of Twene Amanfo Senior High School as the Parade Commander.
The pupils and students were mostly from private schools in the circuit and some of them were, however, accompanied by their teachers.
The celebration was on the theme: “Discipline and Hard Work, Essential Prerequisite for Better Ghana.”
Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister and Mr Kwasi Oppong Ababio, Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive took turns to take the salute as the various contingents, including cadet corps of some of the schools, marched past the dais.
The Regional Minister, in his address, urged pupils, students and people of the region to let their behavioural attitude reflect the theme of the celebration to serve as a guide in all their deliberations.
Without proper practical exhibition of discipline or self-revolution in the lives of individual Ghanaians, the leadership of the nation may struggle in vain to push the nation forward, he said.
Mr Nyamekye Marfo described the celebration as “wonderful” even though no teacher from the public basic schools accompanied the children as used to be in the past.
He commended the schools that took part and appealed to teachers to resume classes as the government and other stakeholders were doing everything possible to rectify the anomalies in the migration onto the Single Spine Salary Structure.
Prizes were awarded schools that excelled in the march past.
In the primary division, Sunyani Secondary Model School placed first while Ridge Experimental South placed first in the Junior High School division.
Twene Amanfo Senior High Technical School took the first position in the SHS division.
Dignitaries present at the ceremony included the Reverend Father Timothy Kankam Dwumfour, Sunyani Municipal Director of Education and some chiefs of the Sunyani Traditional Area.