The Registrar General's Department must be commended for going the extra mile to ensure that babies are registered as soon as possible after birth.

The department is also encouraging fathers to put their particulars on the birth certificates.

"It can be traumatic for a child who does not know anything about his father," a teacher disclosed.

The teacher referred to an incident at a school where she was teaching when students who were sitting a particular examination were asked to take their birth certificates to school.

"Some of the children had their birth certificates showing to others and looked really proud telling their friends the names and ages of their parents on their birth certificates.

"One little girl was asked by some of her friends to show them her birth certificate and she refused to take it out of her school bag. When I entered the classroom I saw the child crying and called her to my desk to find out what was the matter.

"She told me that she felt ashamed because her friends fathers' names were on their birth certificates and her father's name was not on hers.

"It took me quite a long time to console the child and to explain to her that it was not her fault that her father's name was not on her birth certificate. Since that time I have always encouraged my male relatives to be involved in the lives of their children and to make sure that they put their names on the birth certificates," she added.

The Status of Children Act and the Registration (Births and Deaths ) Act make provision for a father's particulars to be placed on birth certificates. The law also makes provision for the father's particulars to be added after the registration of birth.

Section 19 (3) of the Registration (Births and Deaths) Act states in part that if the Registrar General is satisfied that a declaration of paternity in respect of the child has been made by the Supreme Court or the Family Court, or that the father has been made a guardian of the child, the Registrar General shall authorise the entry in the register of the name of the father, and such other particulars relating to the father as are supplied.