National Peace Council Inspires Students to Choose Peace Over Violence at Edinaman SHS
The National Peace Council (NPC), through its Central Regional Office, has stepped up efforts to foster a culture of peace by educating more than 2,000 students of Edinaman Senior High School in Cape Coast on the dangers of violence and the need to embrace peaceful conflict resolution.
The sensitisation programme, held on the theme “Student Violence: Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999),“ formed part of the Council’s broader efforts to nurture a culture of peace among young people and prevent violence in schools and communities.
Rather than focusing solely on the legal implications of violent behaviour, the programme encouraged students to reflect on the values of tolerance, dialogue and responsible decision-making and asked them to analyse the kind of legacy they want to leave behind.
Participants explored how anger, peer pressure and poor choices can escalate into violence, while learning that patience, mutual respect and constructive dialogue remain the most effective tools for resolving conflicts.
The Regional Executive Secretary, Dr Charles Ohene Amoh, addressing the students, reminded them that while Act 999 provides clear legal consequences for acts of vigilantism and violence, the greater reward lies in becoming young people who build trust instead of fear, resolve disagreements instead of fuelling them, and inspire others through character rather than intimidation.
The programme was further enriched by the participation of students from the Global Exploration Programme from the Netherlands, providing an opportunity for cross-cultural interaction and reinforcing the shared understanding that peace is a universal value that transcends borders.
The engagement reflects the National Peace Council’s commitment to strengthening national cohesion by promoting dialogue and equipping young people with the values and skills needed to build peaceful communities.
Mary Olivia Cobblah, ISD
