Last week, Saint Joseph’s Basic Cycle School held its graduation for its first batch of grade nine students at the school grounds, with Major General Lang Tombong, who was the guest speaker of the occasion, admonishing the students to nurture discipline in education.

Speaking on the theme: Discipline as a prerequisite to good education, the chief of Defence Staff of the Gambia Armed Forces, said lack of submission in education encourages the unpleasant attitude of unpunctuality, disobedience, irregularity and lack of commitment to school work. He said the probable result of such an attitude yields nothingness but poor performance.

Major General Tamba further argued that no student would achieve good education without discipline. He challenged the graduating students to remain steadfast and maintain discipline for a good future.

He told the gathering that in the military, people are promoted on the basis of their merits, in which discipline and dedication to duty are central.

“This is simply to strengthen the fact that discipline at all levels in indispensable,” he remarked, noting that attendance and good behaviour are preconditions for effective learning. Accordingly, tackling poor behaviour is as much part of improving pupil performance as good teaching. He, therefore, urged all to accept that education is about value, as well as knowledge and skills.

He advised the students to work harder, saying that the search for knowledge through education has no ceiling. “This is the beginning of transition of a life full of turbulence. Your success or failure would be determined by what you do today for tomorrow”, he told the students.

Major General Lang Tombong Tamba also admonished the students to recognise the efforts of their teachers in maintaining high standards of discipline in the school.

Speaking earlier, Mrs Emily Correa Gomez, the principal of the school, thanked the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) for its tireless efforts in supporting the school. Mrs Gomez used the opportunity to elaborate on some of the recent achievements of the school.

Present at the ceremony were Mr Jatta, the principal education officer for Region 1, Mr Jallow, the duster monitor for Region 1, parents, students and a cross section of the community.