Last Saturday, 12th July 2025, I had the distinct honour of being the Guest Speaker at the 27th Speech and Prize Giving Day of The Ridge School (1966) in Kumasi. For those who know Kumasi, The Ridge School is truly one of the most highly esteemed educational institutions in the city, and it was a huge privilege for me to be part of such a significant event.
Seated with me on the dais were esteemed personalities, including Prof. S.O. Afram (Board Chairman), with whom I had several insightful tête-à-tête discussions, Mrs. Lynda Philips (Principal), Mr. Gabriel Pipim (JHS Headmaster), Mrs. Mavis Okraku-Ansah (SHS Headmistress), Mr. Robert Donaldy (Board Member), and Mr. Kwame Attrams (PTA Chairman).
The primary purpose of the day was to honour students who had excelled academically during the year. However, the event was not just about intellectual prowess. There was a captivating cadet display, vibrant dances from several regions of Ghana, engaging drama, and stimulating speeches.
It was pure joy seeing the faces of parents light up as their children performed on stage or collected their well-deserved prizes. The pick of the bunch for me were the cute Reception 1 and 2 toddlers; each one who came on stage was a “whole performance” in itself!
I spoke on the theme, “Raising Responsible Digital Citizens: A Shared Responsibility.” My speech (full speech) focused on the evolving landscape of parenting in the digital age. I emphasised that for today’s parents, the responsibility extends beyond providing food, shelter, clothing, and education to now crucially include digital guidance. This is because our children, unlike many of us, were born into a digitally connected world, where social media and the internet offer direct access to their hearts and minds – sometimes from “knights in shining armour” like online educators, but also from “evil outlaws” who could cause harm.
To simplify this expanded role, I introduced the PNG analogy: Protect, Nurture, and Guide.
- Protect: I emphasised the importance of active protection, recommending practical steps such as installing parental control apps, like Google Family Link, for younger children. For parents of pre-teens and teenagers, I strongly recommend a written agreement before purchasing a digital device. This agreement should clearly define roles – the parent as the “landlord” and the child as the “tenant” – ensuring parental access for inspection, knowledge of passwords, and the installation of parental control apps, while also fostering trust and respecting privacy. I shared a personal anecdote about teaching my five-year-old to refer to our devices as “Mummy’s phone” or “Daddy’s iPad” to establish clear boundaries of ownership and control.
- Nurture: I encouraged parents to actively engage with their children’s digital world, playing games with them and discussing their online activities to foster open dialogue. I also stressed the importance of a balanced digital diet, setting “tech-free” times and zones at home.
- Guide: The final role was to empower children to make responsible choices. This involves teaching critical thinking about online content, discussing online safety and privacy, and guiding them towards digital tools for creativity and learning.
I also outlined practical steps for students, encouraging them to “Ask Before You Click,” “Balance Your Screen Time,” and “Learn and Create” using digital tools. For teachers, I urged them to “Collaborate with Parents,” “Integrate Digital Literacy” into the curriculum, and “Be Digital Role Models” themselves. The core message was clear: raising responsible digital citizens is a collective commitment.
After the awards, I spoke to several parents. Most of our conversations centred around the growing challenges of managing screen time, the dangers posed by rogue social media influencers, and the difficulties parents face in keeping pace with the rapidly changing technological landscape to guide their digitally aware and absorbed children effectively. Indeed, in the current era, raising digitally responsible children is a considerable challenge.
Following the award ceremony, I attended an exhibition at the Senior High School and was very impressed by the work the students had done in Science and Arts. There were works involving Arduino-powered drones and cars, beautiful paintings, intricate bleach art, pottery, and hand-woven sandals, to name just a few. It was a day well spent! My sincere thanks go to everyone at The Ridge School (1966) in Kumasi, especially Mrs. Lynda Philips and Mrs. Olive Minah, for attending to my personal needs throughout the day. And boy, oh boy, the caterer who prepared the snacks is so good; I have never eaten fish balls and samosas that good! I need her number!
