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A total of 13 girls at the Vunania Junior High School (JHS) at Navrongo in the Upper East Region became pregnant during the 2013/2014 academic year. This year alone, five pregnant female candidates wrote the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), while many of the candidates, both males and females of the school, have been cohabiting, a situation that is a worry to the school authorities. The Headmaster of the School, Mr Anthony Akabikire, who made this known during the 50th anniversary celebration of the School, bemoaned the poor academic performance of the school over the past six years due to the indulgence of the pupils in social vices. Indiscipline He noted, for instance, that many of the pupils were usually found at the Tono irrigation site where they went to work, neglecting their school work. According to the headmaster, the short-term effects of such indiscipline attitudes were teenage pregnancies, early marriages, school dropouts, alcoholism, smoking, gambling, disrespect for authority and above all poor BECE results. Mr Akabikire observed that in 2009, the school presented 86 candidates, but only 46 passed, while in 2010, out of 97 candidates presented, only 52 passed. The performance of the students, he said, had worsened because in 2011, the school presented 107 candidates but only 19 passed, while in 2013, out of 86 candidates presented, only 14 passed. In 2014, he said the school presented 79 candidates and only 13 of them passed with the best aggregate being 22. "Looking at these results, there is nothing to boast about, and the likely question one may ask is: �What is the cause of these poor performances?�" he said. Challenges Mr Akabikire pointed out that the major challenge facing the school was the lack of interest in learning on the part of the pupils, saying "They are rather interested in attending parties, funeral jams, engaging in sexual relationships, acquiring sophisticated mobile phones, computers, video decks, sound systems and television sets". Remedy The headmaster stated that the school, with support from the municipal director of Education and the circuit supervisor, will take "drastic measures against any teacher whose professional conduct is questionable". "I must state that the current staff of the school is poised to redeem the school's image, but the problem still lies with the pupils and we are encouraging parents to also play a key role in instilling discipline in their children,"he further intimated. The Minister of the Interior, Mr Mark Woyongo, who was the guest of honour, urged parents and the entire community to embrace education by supporting the school authorities to instill discipline in the pupils. The Chairman of the 50th Anniversary Planning Committee of the school, Mr Hippolyte Alua, lauded the efforts of some personalities who contributed immensely to the growth of the school, adding that the school had produced a lot of people who were contributing in diverse ways to nation building. The school The Vunania JHS was established in 1964 with an initial enrolment of 18 pupils and one teacher. The school now operates a double stream system with a pupil population of 240 and 20 staff. Over the years, the school has produced 1,614 boys and girls who are now contributing to various sectors of the economy. Contributions towards the anniversary celebration and rehabilitation of the school from community members, past pupils and benevolent individuals has so far yielded GH�30,366. During the anniversary, deserving pupils, past pupils and key personalities who contributed immensely to the growth of the school were honoured.