Five Ways to minimize falling moral standards of Ghanaian youths:
1. Teaching them to know the good from home: Parents have a huge responsibility to internalize some traits in their children so that "when they grow up they will not depart from it."
2. Showing them good examples and rewarding virtues: It is one thing to teach. But, a Latin adage says, "Verba docent examplatrahunt," meaning that "Words teach, but examples capture." To capture them young, parents should show and reward virtues. Society should also encourage virtues and not vices. Acts of virtue should be promoted, while vices should be discouraged and when necessary punished.
3. Good leadership in schools: Many youths learn from and in school while interacting with teachers, fellow students, and others. Some teachers are known to exploit their students by initiating illicit sex with them. Many others exchange sex for marks. This shows the type of examples, students are being taught in the schools. Good leadership begets good followership. It is the responsibility of school authorities to inculcate discipline and learning in their students. Where they decide to sow seeds of examination malpractices, cultism, drug abuse, sexual misconduct, and dishonesty, it is the society that reaps the fruits of moral decadence.
4. Enthronement of meritocracy in society: Any society that decides to reward poor performance is actually digging its grave. Governments at all levels should ensure that they reward merit and excellence. Jobs and contracts should not be reserved for persons based on political and social patronage. The eyes of Miss Justice should remain closed. If it is opened, there will be bias.
5. People and society must recognize God. The existence of God does not depend on one's belief. God shows that a higher being is in charge of the affairs of men in the world. God shows that a man's life has a purpose and does not end on earth. There is the after-life. It is this divine recognition that will make people aware that for everything done here on earth, there will be a day of reckoning when our good and bad conducts will be judged.
Explanation:
Moral standards are the norms by which people judge actions which we believe to be morally acceptable or morally unacceptable. Moral standards deal with issues which can either seriously harm or seriously benefit human beings and the wider environment. Good moral standards are called virtues while bad moral standards are known as vices.
Some of the virtues which parents can teach their children, according to Kathy Slattengren, M. Ed., Priceless Parenting, are:
"Acceptance: welcoming others whose ideas and practices differ from your own
Compassion: understanding the suffering of others or self and wanting to do something about it
Cooperation: helping your family and friends, returning favors
Courage: willingness to do difficult things
Equality: believing everyone deserves equal rights and to be treated with respect
Fairness: acting in a just way, sharing appropriately
Generosity: willingness to give resources, help or time to others
Gratitude: showing appreciation to others, letting loved ones know what you appreciate about them
Honesty: being truthful and sincere
Integrity: sticking to your moral and ethical principles and values
Kindness: being considerate and treating others well
Perseverance: persisting in a course of action, belief or purpose
Politeness: using good manners, acting in socially acceptable ways
Respect: showing consideration for the worth of someone or something
Responsibility: being reliable in your obligations
Self-control: staying in control of your words and behavior
Tolerance: having a fair and objective attitude towards different opinions, beliefs or practices
Trustworthy: reliably doing what is right even when it is difficult, being true to your word."
Vice of the vices that Ghanaian youths should avoid are examination malpractices, cultism, drug abuse, sexual misconduct, and dishonesty.
