The only people with access and passwords to approve protocol placement into Category A senior high schools were the Education Minister and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
This was done to prevent fraud, but The Fourth Estate’s investigations revealed that admission to these institutions was facilitated by a network of middlemen that included cleaners and security personnel.
Additionally, it discovered that two state security agencies unexpectedly halted an inquiry into charges of corruption in the placement system that had been sought by the Director-General of GES.
Watch the full investigative documentary by Adwoa Adobea-Owusu and Evans Aziamor-Mensah of The Fourth Estate.
Four Teacher Unions are accusing government of defaulting in the payment of contributions to the Ghana Education Service (GES) Occupational Pension Scheme (Tier 2).
The unions include the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers, the Coalition of Concerned Teachers and the Teachers’ and Educational Workers Union (TEWU).
The unions say although government deducts these contributions every month from their salaries, it is in arrears of over GH¢400 million as payment has not been made since the last payment in March 2022.
The General Secretary of TEWU, Mark Dankyira Korankye, speaking to Citi News on behalf of the four unions, complained that, “We have written several letters to the regulator, that they should ensure that the employer pays the contributions as soon as it’s deducted. Unfortunately, the regulator appears helpless, that is why we have to quickly issue this statement.”
“If the regulator is failing to do its work, then as a first step, we are saying their allowances or fee due them must also not be paid. If they are not being paid their fee, then I think they will be compelled to tell government to pay the ordinary employee their due pensions”.
The students have pleaded with the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC), and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to allow them back to school.
The school was shut down temporarily by REGSEC after students went on rampage on Sunday destroying school properties including six vehicles.
The students caused a power outage and broke into the storerooms of the school and scattered food items.
The students have since been sent home with authorities finding solutions to the problem
Speaking to OTEC News Jacob Agyenim Boateng, on January 24, 2023, some female students of the school said they were worried the situation may affect their future.
While condemning the acts of their male colleagues, the students have appealed to authorities in the region to help re-open the facility for them to continue their education.
“Like any unqualified apology, the first step is to acknowledge that you were wrong. Then all you have to do is look in that person’s face and say we are truly sorry for what happened and we hope our teachers and the public will forgive us”.
“We would like to render an unqualified apology to all especially our tutors for the inconveniences caused by the excesses of the protest that resulted in the destruction of school properties and the consequential closure of the school”.
“We are grateful to all relevant stakeholders for the steps taken already to restore calm in the school, but we are still pleading with them to save our educational career,” they added.
Authorities at the Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana West District in the Upper East Region have heeded the directive of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reconsider its dismissal decision handed eight female students from the school.
The students have been recalled to start the semester with their mates after they were sacked for insulting president Akufo-Addo.
The dismissal of the students caused mixed reactions with many asking the GES to reverse the decision, while others called on the president to forgive the students and intervene for their recall which he eventually did.
The eight students were seen in a viral video insulting the president for poorly implementing the Free SHS policy which resulted in them going hungry because food items had not been supplied to their school at the time of recording the “very undesirable and unacceptable” video as per the dismissal note from the GES.
They were outrightly dismissed while serving a suspension punishment since November 15, 2022.
Calls were made for their recall and the students expressed remorse and apologized to the president for their misconduct, and he listened and intervened.
A parent of one of the girls confirmed via a telephone conversation he had been called by school authorities to bring back his girl to continue her studies.
Parents and guardians of the embattled students of Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region have expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for intervening in the matter.
“We are happy and grateful to the President for the intervention and all stakeholders who brought this to the attention of the President,” Mr Inusah Hamidu, a guardian of one of the dismissed students told the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Chiana.
Eight girls in their final year were summarily dismissed by the Ghana Education Service on Wednesday, January 11, 2023, for insulting and using unprintable words on the President in a viral video in November 2022.
The affected girls and their parents and other members of the public urged the President to have mercy on them and restore their right to education.
As a result, the Ministry of Education, in a statement signed by Mr Kwasi Kwarteng, Spokesperson of the Ministry and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, said the President has intervened and asked for alternative punishment for the affected students.
“The President of the Republic of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has intervened in the above subject after his attention was drawn to it.
“Consequently, the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has directed the Ghana Education Service to consider an alternative disciplinary action instead of dismissal,” the statement said.
Mr Hamidu said although the alternative disciplinary action was unknown, he believed the stakeholders involved would comply with the President’s directive and allow the girls to return to school.
He said the intervention of the President was a big relief to them and expressed optimism that it would enable the girls to be able to prepare for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Mr Hamidu noted that in as much as there was the need for parents and guardians to chastise the girls for the bad behaviour exhibited, they needed to also provide counselling and advice to the girls to enable them to stay focused in school.
He said, “we are a humble family of practicing Muslims and we would not want any of our children to go out there and insult the elderly especially not mere person than the President, so, we have advised her and she is more reserved and quiet and I know other parents have equally done same, so we are praying that they will call them back and they will stay focus to write their exams and come back home.”
Meanwhile, Madam Anne Estella Kye-eebo, Upper East Acting Regional Director of the Ghana Education Service, noted that a stakeholder meeting would be held on the way forward.
“The President is the father of all, and he has spoken, so there is nothing I can do than to obey. Besides, I am a mother, and they are my children, and we all want the development of the region, but it is not only my decision to take, but we must also meet the stakeholders involved to know what to do,” she added.
On Thursday, the GES dismissed the eight students in the Upper East Region for allegedly insulting President Akufo-Addo.
Prior to the dismissal, the students had been on suspension.
The GES says its investigation into the incident confirmed that the students used unsavoury language against the President in a viral video.
It thus described the actions of the students as “very undesirable, and contrary to the acceptable standards of the conduct generally required of any student in Ghana’s educational system”.
Prior to the dismissal of the students, the GES had earlier apologised to the President over the said conduct.
But the news of their dismissal generated a lot of reactions, with many people expressing mixed feelings about the development.
While some berated the GES, others praise the regulatory body.
According to the critics, the decision is simply untenable.
One of the critics, an advocate for children’s rights was unenthused about the decision.
The Country Director of the International Child Development Programme, Joyce Larnyoh said the Ghana Education Service should employ more appropriate means of punishment other than dismissal.
Speaking on JoyNews’ News Desk, Mrs Larnyoh reiterated that no child should be denied the right to education no matter the circumstance.
The Minority in Parliament also stated that the decision was uncalled for and had to be reviewed.
In a statement signed by ranking member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the Minority described the decision as ‘harsh’ and ‘retrogressive’.
According to the Minority, even though the students who insulted President Akufo-Addo in a viral video acted out of order, their right to education should not be curtailed.
The statement said the right to education is guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution, hence the move by the GES must be reviewed.
“Whereas the Minority is against the misconduct of the eight students, and condemns same, we wish to state that the decision by the GES to dismiss them is harsh and retrogressive”, the statement emphasised.
Having criticised the decision by the GES, the Minority went ahead to plead with the President to intervene in the matter.
The statement from the Ministry of Education, which was signed by its spokesperson, Kwasi Kwarteng, brings relief to the affected students.
Meanwhile, the eight female students have apologised for their conduct.
The dismissal of the eight female students from China Senior High School has been prevented by President Akufo-Addo.
The President took the action after it came to his attention, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Education on Friday.
Accordingly, the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) approval has been revised by the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, according to the release.
On Thursday, the GES dismissed the eight students in the Upper East Region for allegedly insulting President Akufo-Addo.
Prior to the dismissal, the students had been on suspension.
The GES says its investigation into the incident confirmed that the students used unsavoury language against the President in a viral video.
It thus described the actions of the students as “very undesirable, and contrary to the acceptable standards of the conduct generally required of any student in Ghana’s educational system”.
Prior to the dismissal of the students, the GES had earlier apologised to the President over the said conduct.
But the news of their dismissal generated a lot of reactions, with many people expressing mixed feelings about the development.
While some berated the GES, others praise the regulatory body.
According to the critics, the decision is simply untenable.
One of the critics, an advocate for children’s rights was unenthused about the decision.
The Country Director of the International Child Development Programme, Joyce Larnyoh said the Ghana Education Service should employ more appropriate means of punishment other than dismissal.
The Minority in Parliament also stated that the decision was uncalled for and had to be reviewed.
In a statement signed by ranking member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, the Minority described the decision as ‘harsh’ and ‘retrogressive’.
According to the Minority, even though the students who insulted President Akufo-Addo in a viral video acted out of order, their right to education should not be curtailed.
The statement said the right to education is guaranteed by the 1992 Constitution, hence the move by the GES must be reviewed.
“Whereas the Minority is against the misconduct of the eight students, and condemns same, we wish to state that the decision by the GES to dismiss them is harsh and retrogressive”, the statement emphasised.
Having criticised the decision by the GES, the Minority went ahead to plead with the President to intervene in the matter.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has received criticism from Rev. Renault Amofa Danquah of the Asante Akyem Agogo Methodist Circuit for its prohibition on caning in elementary and senior high schools (SHS).
Speaking at the Wob3tumi Career Seminar at Asante Akyem Kurofa, Rev. Amofa urged GES to reconsider its “no-cane in school” policy, claiming that it has currently increased indiscipline amongst students.
As part of efforts to make pre-tertiary schools in the country safe and secure for teaching and learning, GES introduced the Safe Schools policy, which is explained as a school with zero tolerance for any form of violence such as bullying, sexual harassment, corporal punishment, and other forms of violence.
In 2017, Ghana Education Service (GES) officially banned all forms of corporal punishment on children in schools as part of efforts to promote a safe and protective learning environment for children.
However, the Akyem Rev is unhappy about the policy saying that if GES refuses to budge on its ban on caning, students would go wayward and the school’s role of instilling discipline and shaping character of students not only on academics would become a daunting task to do.
He added that children were getting away with a lot of things in the schools in the name of child abuse by their teachers, who are supposed to be correcting them.
Meanwhile, Founder of Matumi a Wob3tumi Career Seminar, Williams Amoako, also urged the youth in the country to strive hard for success, inculcating in
themselves the “Can Do Spirit” and advised the youth to be focused and determined in pursuing their dreams.
The ban was met with several concerns, with many saying the move would have a severe impact on the attitude of the youth.
It is also on record that some stakeholders in education, like Mr Angel Carbonu, President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), have suggested that the increase in indiscipline in schools can be attributed to a relaxation of the school discipline policy, and that that directive needs to be reviewed.
But Ghana’s education minister, Dr Yaw Adutuwm, thinks otherwise. He believes that, comparatively, canning “hasn’t gotten the Ghanaian student anywhere.”
In agreement, an educationist and Christian counsellor, Dr. John Boakye, also pointed out that studies have shown that corporal punishment does not correct
children or solve problems, it creates fear and hatred in them, which leads them to abuse others as a result.
Some two hundred and fifty-six (256) teachers have filed lawsuits against the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Attorney General.
The lawsuit was initiated as a result of the widespread failure of the teachers’ promotion exams in December 2021.
In December 2021, the plaintiffs who registered for the Assistant Director Grade I position, sat for the exams at the Ada Training College Centre.
Speaking to the media, counsel for the applicants, Mr James Enu, asserted that neither of the teachers who took part in the tests at that center qualified, that, he said was unusual and must be delved in.
He revealed that candidates were apprised of the exam’s pass mark after they were done writing, but the GES was eager to inform them after they had all failed the exam.
According to him, the concerned teachers requested that the GES probe into what may have caused the failure, but the educational body said they found nothing after their investigations.
However, Mr Enu added that the educational body did not undertake thorough checks; the applicants also demander their scripts and scores, but all to no avail.
He disclosed that one of the plaintiffs, who claimed he did not own an index number, was required to use his staff number.
The spokesperson for the counsel also said that even candidates who did not participate in the exams due to reasons known to the GES scored zero.
The GES’ actions, according to the teachers, have had a negative impact as they are unable to carry out their jobs as required.
The teachers have therefore asked the court to throw out the exam results and order the accused to give the applicants their exam results and scripts.
In addition, there is an injunction barring the respondent from holding any additional exams till the case is resolved.
Ten students of Agogo State Senior High School in the Ashanti Akim North District of the Ashanti Region have been mercilessly beaten by teachers for fetching water outside the school campus.
According to the students, they went to the community near the school to fetch water following water shortage on the campus, and while returning to the campus, the teachers numbering about six called them into a staff room and flogged them.
The students after being beaten went home and were sent to the hospital for treatment by their parents.
The students told Abusua FM reporter, King, that this wasn’t the first time such inhumane treatment had been meted out to students for doing no wrong, adding that the teachers are fond of maltreating them.
Some parents in an interview expressed displeasure over the conduct of the teachers and asked the Ghana Education Service to reprimand the teachers.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) in 2019 banned any form of corporal punishment in primary and secondary schools all over Ghana.
In a statement issued by the then Deputy Director General of GES, Anthony Boateng, said teachers are expected to use alternative sanctions as measures for correcting students in schools.
“This is in view of the Positive Discipline Toolkit containing positive and constructive alternatives to correcting children was developed in 2016 as a component of the Safe Schools Resource Pack.”
The statement added that “apart from the physical pain corporal punishment inflicts on children, this approach also causes significant emotional damage. Some of the lasting effects of this method of disciplining school children include physical scars, emotional scars (trauma, fear, timidity etc.) and violent behaviour.”
Steps suggested in the toolkit to address student behaviour include setting class rules with students, encouraging them to be of good behaviour, getting students to recite statements periodically to confirm their adherence to standards of behaviour set for the classroom.
They also include explaining to the child why a particular behaviour he or she has exhibited is unacceptable.
The toolkit also recommended punishments such as withdrawal of responsibility or removal from a leadership position, cleaning, changing of seating position, assignment of extra tasks and writing of lines, eg. A full book of “I will never talk in class again.”
The Ghana Education Service(GES) has condemned the “misconduct” of some students of Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena Nankana West District who were seen in a viral video circulating on social media launching scathing attacks on the President.
In a 60 minutes video, the students of the said school were captured spewing insults at the President using vulgar and unprintable words.
A statement issued by the GES said the students in the video have been identified as second-year students of Chiana Senior High School.
It reiterated that management of the school has begun investigations to unravel the circumstances surrounding “such unfortunate utterances and gestures,” adding parents of the students have also been invited to assist in the investigations.
“Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) condemns this unfortunate act which is against every educational and moral principle in our society.
“Management of GES wishes to extend our sincerest apology to H.E. the President and the general public on behalf of the students and school.
“We wish to also assure the general public that the outcome of the investigations will be made known as soon as it is concluded.”
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed the heads of public kindergartens and primary schools, as well as junior and senior high schools, to move in to ensure that students at the pre-tertiary levels in the country are kept safe.
This is in the absence of teachers at the pre-tertiary levels after the three teacher unions declared a withdrawal of their services effective Friday, November 4, 2022.
The teacher unions withdrew their services in protest of the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the Director General of the GES.
The President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Rev. Isaac Owusu, said in an earlier press conference that it was doing so in protest of the fact that the new GES boss was a banker.
“It is unacceptable for a banker to be appointed as a Director-General of the Ghana Education Service instead of an educationist at the same time when many teachers who did the same courses and related ones were rejected by GES because it is not related to education
“We stated that both the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service should apologize to teachers for accepting the very qualifications they rejected when teachers presented them…We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians our intention to go on strike, having reached the November 4 deadline we gave the government. Consequently, we have decided to embark on strike from today, Friday, November 4, 2022. By this, we are informing the general public that we are withdrawing all our services in all the pre-tertiary institutions,” he said.
But the GES has called on the heads of the institutions to take over the safety of students who have been affected by this strike.
“Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has read from the media that the three (3) Teacher Unions in the Pre-tertiary Education sector have declared withdrawal of their services effective Friday, November 4, 2022.
“Heads of public kindergarten and Primary Schools as well as Junior and Senior High Schools have been directed through the Regional and District Directors to mobilise their management teams to ensure the safety and well-being of all students in schools,” the statement, signed by Cassandra Twum Ampofo, Head of Public Relations, said.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed Dr. Eric Nkansah to act as the new director general of the Ghana Education Service on Wednesday, October 19, 2022.
The appointment, according to a statement signed by Secretary of the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, aligns with Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049).
Leadership of the three striking teacher unions will today, Monday, November 7, 2022, meet the Employment and Labour Ministry to continue deliberations over the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The unions declared a strike on Friday, November 4, following their demand for the withdrawal of Dr. Nkansah’s appointment.
An earlier engagement with the Ministry ended inconclusively.
Speaking to Citi News, the President of one of the unions, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Angel Carbonu expressed disappointment at the Education Ministry for not addressing their concerns sooner.
“The invitation to even come and jaw-jaw was not from the Education Ministry. They were rather trying to banter us in the media through press conferences instead of sitting with us to discuss the issues. So we are on strike, expecting that our demands will be met at [today’s] meeting.”
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, Bright Wereko-Brobby said he is optimistic that the concerns of the teachers will be addressed.
“This is a matter we can sit and discuss. So I am optimistic that nothing untoward will happen. The issues that they have raised will be looked at and will be resolved by Monday after we meet.”
The unions had requested time to seek the views of their members. They have argued in favour of a career teacher being made the GES boss.
The leaders of the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG) and the Colleges of Education Non-Teaching Staff Association of Ghana (CENTSAG) have expressed their displeasure over the government’s neglect of the welfare of their members in the 46 Colleges of Education over the years.
The associations in a joint statement accused the Government and the Ghana Education Service (GES) of unfair treatment over the years.
CETAG in January 2022 called off its weeks of strike action after the Government assured the association of taking stringent measures to resolve the non-implementation of its 2017-2020 conditions of service, but those resolutions are yet to be implemented 10 months on.
Leadership of the two associations in their statement have therefore given the Ghana Education Service (GES) five crucial working days to address the following outstanding concerns;
i) Non-finalisation of CETAG’s Conditions of Service (CoS) negotiations which started on 14th August 2021 and have direct implications for CENTSAG’s own CoS.
ii)Unilateral determination of April 2023 by the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission (FWSC) as the effective date for placing First Degree Holders of CENTSAG on 17H on the SSSS.
iii) Undue delay by the Ministry of Education in responding to our request for payment of compensation for all-year-round work to both teaching and non-teaching staff.
iv) Deliberate variation of Fuel, Vehicle Maintenance, and Off-Campus allowances of CETAG and CENTSAG members as compared to our counterparts in other analogous institutions in the face of the rising cost of fuel prices in the country.
v) Unfair retrospective deductions of office holding allowances paid to some members of CENTSAG and CETAG.
The unions added that if these concerns are not resolved by November 11, 2022, “we shall reactivate our indefinite strike actions which we suspended on January 24 and April 14, 2022, respectively.”
The teacher union has warned of dire consequences should the newly appointed GES boss remain in office by 4 November.
Nkansah took over from Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, who was reassigned to the KNUST after serving as GES boss for nearly six years.
In a communique read to the press at its annual meeting on Sunday (30 October), GNAT described the latest appointment as unfortunate, stressing that the appointee is not an educationist.
The general secretary of GNAT Thomas Tanko Musah, who read the communique was also concerned about the contract extension for the deputy director general of the GES.
“The position of the director general of Ghana Education Service is the preserve of educationists and has since been occupied by educationists since its creation in the 1970s and remains as such even in military regimes.
“Council finds the replacement of Prof Opoku-Amankwa with Dr Eric Nkansah, a banker as unfortunate and untenable,” he said.
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has raised concerns over the Ghana Education Service‘s unwillingness to promote teachers and association members to their designated ranks.
According to him, this delay has caused increased agitation among teachers, which could lead to labour unrest.
In a communique signed by the president of GNAT, Rev Issac Owusu, he said some of the agitations, aside from the promotion, also include “failure to supply laptops, allowances payment and opening of base pay negotiations among others.
“Some teachers who were promoted/upgraded since 2015 have not been placed on the right scale. Council finds this irritating and provocative, and with the potential of disturbing the peace on the education front. Council therefore calls on the Ministry of Education/GES to resolve this issue and all other matters relating to Lower Rank promotions by the end of December 2022.” The president stated
Aside from that, GNAT said the decision by the Ministry of Education to appoint a Director General of the GES, Dr. Eric Nkansah, who is not an educationist, sets a lousy precedent among hardworking teachers and educationists; they, therefore, called for the removal of the new GES boss before November 4, 2022.
“The position of Director-General of the Ghana Education Service is the preserve of Educationists, and has been occupied by Educationists since its creation in the 1970s, and remained as such, even under the military regimes. Council found the replacement of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa with Dr Eric Nkansah, a Banker, as both unfortunate and untenable. In the circumstance, therefore, Council calls for the revocation and subsequent appointment of an Educationist to occupy that office by 4′ November 2022.”
Africa Education Watch has criticised the West African Examination Council (WAEC) for the large number of supervisors from the Ghana Education Service (GES) employed in this year’s West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
The Education think tank, in its 2022 WASSCE Ghana Monitoring Report, revealed that out of the 776 supervisors, about 636, representing 82%, were GES staff.
This implies that 18%, or 140 supervisors, were external to WACE.
Africa Education Watch argues that major representation of GES staff “raises potential Conflict of Interest since the WASSCE pass rateis a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for school heads and other GES directors.”
They further described the situation as “inadequate and ineffective external supervision” while indicating that centers that had GES supervisors recorded high cases of exam malpractice.
The Education Policy Research and Advocacy Organisation has therefore recommended that WAEC stops using GES staff as external supervisors.
“The GES cannot externally self-supervise their own in an exam in which many GES invigilators, supervisors, including school heads are at the centre of exam fraud for profit,” it explained.
They also want the Ghana Education Service to adopt a KPI that rewards SHS heads based on the record of no examination fraud during WASSCE as “this will checkmate the current KPI for school heads on WASSCE pass rate.”
“GES (should) sanction staff involved in examination fraud per their code of conduct,” the report added.
The 2022 WASSCE, which was written by Ghana alone this time round, commenced on August 1, with Visual Art Project Work options.
The theory papers started on Monday, August 22, 2022. On September 27, 2022, the pre-tertiary exam came to an end. 422,883 candidates from 977 schools sat for this year’s exams.
There was a collaboration between WAEC and the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) to monitor the printing of questions to prevent leakage.
Despite the joint efforts, questions for the Elective Mathematics 2 and Core Mathematics 2 papers leaked nine hours before their scheduled time to be written, Africa Education Watch reported.
It noted that “the involvement of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), a.k.a BNI, in the printing of questions led to minimal incidences of question leakages compared to WASSCE 2021.”
The organization’s 2021 WASSCE Monitoring Report found out that 11 papers had leaked.
A teacher union group known as All Teachers Alliance Ghana (ATAG) is describing the move by some teacher Unions to kick against the appointment of the new Director General of Ghana Education Service(GES), Dr. Eric Nkansah, as impulsive.
This comes on the back of the president’s appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service.
According to the union, Dr. Eric Nkansah’s appointment is proper and timely.
Speaking to Citi News, the National Chairman of ATAG, Isaac Ofori said he believes that the new Director General has come to make room for “smart and capable young teachers who have been excluded from power structures and decision-making processes at the education service.”
The Member of Parliament Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, has backed teacher unions opposing the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.
Speaking at a Press conference, Dr. Apaak, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, said the president should have considered the views of the stakeholders before making the appointment.
The unions have argued that the new Director General of the GES is not a professional teacher and is not a good fit for the role.
Dr. Apaak said, “they are right. There are reasons why we have different professionals… Every profession tries to grow their own to eventually become the person at the apex.”
“So when you bring somebody who doesn’t have that requisite background or doesn’t meet their standard, it also affects morale.”
Dr. Apaak also said the appointment of Dr. Nkansah would also breed more friction between the unions and the government.
“It creates problems in terms of policy implementation because whether the President likes it or not, the director general would have to work with the teacher unions.”
“I have sided with the teacher unions because I believe they are in the theatre and I always give them the benefit of the doubt, believing full well that their request, in this case, is not outrageous,” Dr. Apaak added.
The acting Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr. Eric Nkansah,has assured the government of his readiness to work very hard to uplift the image of the Service and improve education in the country.
He also pledged to work diligently with all the stakeholders including the teacher unions, agencies and other professional bodies in the education space.
According to him, having taught at various levels of education and also with experience as a Director at the Education Ministry, he Is familiar with issues relating to education development, thus in a better position to help improve the sector.
Dr. Nkansah gave the assurance on Monday when he introduced himself to the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum as he assumed office after his appointment by the President last week.
He reiterated his passion for the development of education in the country by bringing his expertise to bear and also liaising with other stakeholders especially, adding that the inputs and suggestions of the various stakeholders are welcomed.
The acting Director-General stated for instance, that he will be meeting various stakeholders in the sector to share ideas and also listen to them towards the development of the sector.
Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum on his part commended Dr. Nkansah on his appointment and pledged to support him in the realisation of the objectives of the government to improve the education sector.
He urged the acting D-G to get down to the teaching and non-teaching staff of schools to know about their challenges for redress.
The Education Minister advised him to endeavour to make employees of the Service happy so that they could open up and work very hard towards the development of the nation’s education.
“Go and meet teachers and listen to them. Make your employees happy, if they are happy, they would work very hard to get the best outcomes for you,” he said.
He urged the HR Directorate to work very hard to get the best for teachers.
“As a matter of fact, teachers in the country deserve the best and let’s work hard to make them happy,” he said.
A Public Relations Office (PRO) of the Ministry of Education has refuted assertions that the former Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, was fired because of a misunderstanding with the Education Minister.
According to Kwasi Kwarteng, most people think there was friction between the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the former GES boss because the minister was taking away some of the duties of the GES due to a new law.
His remarks follow an allegation by Member of Parliament for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak, that Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa was sacked because of his many disagreements with the Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.
“The real reasons for sending Prof back to the classroom are not in this letter. “The truth is that the tension and frosty relationship between Hon. Adutwum and Prof. Opoku-Amankwa led to this, nothing more, nothing less,” parts of a tweet the MP shared on October 19 read.
But Kwasi Kwarteng, in a Neat FM interview monitored by GhanaWeb, explained that the education ministry reassigning roles of the GES to other agencies of government does not mean that there was a bad relationship between Dr. Adutwum and Prof. Opoku-Amankwa
“The view that the Minister of Education and Prof Opoku-Amankwa did not have a good working relationship is not the case. People are saying this because they see the minister for education reassigning some of the duties of the GES to other agencies.
“But the explanation is that a new law enacted in 2020 by Parliament, the Education Bodies Regulatory Acts, took some of the roles previously played by the GES to other agencies.
“For example, the National Teaching Council, which caters for the well-being of all teachers, was previously just an office under the Ghana Education Services. Another example is the Schools Inspectorate, which is now national and has its director general and so on, used to be a unit under the Ghana Education Service,” he said in Twi.
A former Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, says he is grateful for the “numerous” goodwill messages and prayers he has been receiving since his appointment was terminated by the president.
“What gladdens my heart is that the messages are not dirges… I highly appreciate your unfathomable love to me,” he wrote in a letter to directors and staff of GES.
He took the opportunity to express gratitude to everyone who supported him during his tenure to change the faces of pre-tertiary education and the Service, saying “we worked as a team.”
President Akufo-Addo – in a letter dated October 17, 2022 – terminated the appointment of Prof Opoku-Amankwa and directed him to resume his position at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
One of the reasons cited for the decision was that “the exigencies that required [his] skills and expertise as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service do not exist any longer.”
Barely two days after his sacking, the president announced the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as acting Director-General of the Service.
His appointment took effect from Wednesday, October 19, 2022, pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing Council of the Service.
But Prof Opoku-Amankwa says he is excited at the “soothing and reassuring” words from the GES staff and the public.
“I wish to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for your dedication and the extremely good work relationship that existed between us.
You supported me in many ways to enhance my resumé to bring it to a distinguishing first class, world class CV, and I am highly grateful to you all,” he added.
Disappointment
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) says it is worried about President Akufo-Addo’s dismissal of the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
According to NAGRAT, the development is disappointing.
The President of the Association, Angel Carbonu, in a media interview on Tuesday, said it also has left his members overwhelmingly disappointed.
“This is very disappointing. We are surprised because we had someone who was able to build a very positive relationship and rapport with the union,” Mr Carbonu said.
The outgone Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, has thanked all the directors and staff of the Service who worked under him for helping him better his résumé.
Making his first public statement since he was relieved of secondment duties at the GES by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the professor said that since his removal, he has received countless well-wishing calls and messages.
“I have and continue to receive your calls and numerous messages. I have not been able to pick up your calls or reply to your messages due largely to the sheer volume.
“What gladdens my heart is that the messages are not dirges but goodwills and prayers and very soothing and reassuring messages.
“I wish to take this opportunity to thank every one of you for your dedication and the extremely good work relationship that existed between us,” he wrote.
Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa added that it gladdens his heart that from his work at the GES, he has been able to upgrade his Curriculum Vitae (CV).
“I highly appreciate your unfathomable love to me. We worked as a team and together we’ve changed the face of not only pre-tertiary education but also GES.
“You supported me in many ways to enhance my resumé to bring it to a distinguishing first-class, world-class CV. And I am highly grateful to you all,” he added.
In a letter dated October 17, 2022, and signed by Secretary to the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, President Akufo-Addo terminated the appointment of the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa.
This brought the appointment of the GES boss, who was appointed in 2017, to an end.
According to ges.gov.gh, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa was appointed as Acting Director-General by President Akufo-Addo in April 2017 and he assumed office on the May 15, 2017.
He was subsequently confirmed as Director-General in October 2017.’
President Akufo-Addo must immediately withdraw the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the acting director-general of the Ghana education service, the National Association of Graduate Teachers has demanded.
Dr Nkansah’s appointment will be made permanent after the advice of the Governing Council of the GES and the Public Services Commission.
A letter from the office of the president announcing his appointment said Dr Nkansah is expected to indicate his acceptance of the role within 14 days.
However, the teacher unions say they are not happy with their new boos.
“The teacher unions started press conferences yesterday [Wednesday, 19 October 2022]. I did mine yesterday and this morning, my brothers in GNAT were supposed to do theirs until there was a development that annoyed and surprised all of us; that a new director-general has been appointed to the Ghana education service”, the President of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonu told journalists at a press conference.
He said: “The authority to appoint a director-general is the president of the land. Unfortunately, contrary to what the teacher unions indicated – that we would want a director-general who is a professional teacher, who has passed through the mill, who can bring his knowledge, skills and influence to bear on the activities of teachers and non-teachers in the Ghana education service, contrary to that, the gentleman who was appointed yesterday, is not a teacher”.
“He is a banking officer who was a special assistant in the office of the minister, and has been appointed as the director-general of the Ghana education service”, he indicated.
“We are not happy with this development. It is as if we don’t have professionals and well-educated people who have gone through the mill in education in this country, to run education”, Mr Carbonu added.
He bemoaned: “It is as if we are being told that we, educationists in the Ghana education service, are not good to manage education in this country.
We are calling on the president to rescind this decision; that the gentleman who has been appointed, is not qualified by any standard, to be the director-general of the Ghana education service”.
Mr Carbonu said Dr Nkansah is an outlier.
“If you look at the history of directors-general of the Ghana education service, they are either senior officers within the Ghana education service or professors from universities who have an education background and we can take them one after the other and you’ll see and know their credentials”.
“The gentleman who has been appointed is qualified as a banking officer, who has done some small stints of teaching with Kumasi Polytechnic in those days”.
“When the minister was appointed, he became a special assistant to the minister and does not have any credentials or qualification to be director-general of the Ghana education service”.
The union of teachers demanded the withdrawal of Dr Nkansah’s appointment.
“We are calling for his removal, he is not qualified to be director-general of the Ghana education service and his presence will not motivate professionals who have been in this Service for more than 20 to 30 years and have risen to higher ranks within the Ghana education service”.
The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa has been relieved of his duties.
His dismissal was announced in a letter from the Presidency signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante, on Monday, October 17.
According to the letter, the circumstances that required his skills at the GES no longer exist.
“The Ministry of Education has informed this Office that the exigencies that required your skills and expertise as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service do not exist any longer”, part of the letter noted.
“The President thanks you for your service to the nation and wishes you the very best in your future endeavours”, the letter added.
Prof. Opoku-Amankwa was appointed on secondment from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in January 2021. His contract was extended again in June 2021.
However, according to his dismissal letter, the extension was in “contravention of the Human Resource Policy Framework and manual of the Public Services Commission as it purports to extend your secondment beyond the 3-year maximum limit.”
Before his appointment, Prof Opoku-Amankwa was the Dean of the International Programmes Office (IPO) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) before he was replaced by Mr Jacob Kor who was Director-General of the GES from January 2015 – April 2017.
Prof Opoku-Amankwa has a PHD in Language and Education from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom. He studied Social Sciences at the KNUST.
He was also was an Associate Professor in the Department of Publishing Studies at the KNUST and has knowledge about the social, political, economic, and cultural life in Ghana, having studied, worked, and researched in a number of communities across the country for over three decades.
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is worried about the President’s dismissal of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).
NAGRAT said the development is not only surprising but also has left members of the association with overwhelming disappointment.
“This is very disappointing. We are surprised because we had someone who was able to build a very positive relationship and rapport with the union”, said NAGRAT President, Angel Carbonu.
Prof. Opoku-Amankwa was relieved of his position in a letter dated Monday, October 17, 2022, because his services were no longer needed, according to a statement from the Presidency.
The contract was extended again in June 2021, but this extension according to the letter was in “contravention of the Human Resource Policy Frame and Manual of the Public Services Commission, as it purports to extend your secondment beyond the 3-year maximum limit.”
NAGRAT believes the termination of Prof. Opoku-Amankwa’s appointment will affect critical decisions concerning better conditions of service for teachers.
“A lot of our discussions with him had reached advanced stages. So for this termination to come at this time, I think there is someone at the Jubilee House who is not aware of the work going on at the GES. As far as I am concerned, this controversial termination is going to affect us.”
When asked about his expectation of a new Director-General for the GES, Angel Carbonu said he does not expect the next appointee to be a political party operative.
“I expect the new Director-General to be someone who has gone through the mill of the GES, risen through the ranks and understands the intricacies of the service. I also expect someone who will extricate himself from the political party that appoints him and sees himself as professional and not a party operative by opening his doors to the union in addressing issues”, he suggested.
Meanwhile, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa has been instructed to return to the KNUST.
Not long ago, the Ghana Education Service (GES), through the National Council for Curriculum Assessment, approved 11 local languages to be taught at the basic level in schools.
Gurune, which is spoken by the Frafra peoplein the Upper East Region, happened to be one of these approved languages.
GhanaWeb’s Upper East Regional Correspondent, Sarah Dubure, engaged a section of Frafras in Bolgatanga to gather their thoughts regarding the initiative.
Madam Martha intimated that the directive is an opportunity for most children to learn Gurune since most parents speak English to their children.
“Our children don’t understand our language, especially when they are in school. Now that they want to introduce it in the schools, it will help them to understand it better,” she said.
She added that the initiative would increase the children’s understanding of the Gurune language.
Mr. Richard, who works with a Child Rights Organization, expressed disappointment that some parents were in the habit of speaking English to their children instead of their native language, Gurune.
“I’m so much disappointed in some parents in the sense that we have Gurune speaking people who are supposed to nurture and teach their children how to speak the language, rather speak English to them. These children will go to school and learn the English language,” he pointed.
A teacher, Mr. Junior Faith, expressed the hope that the initiative would help the children learn more about their cultural practices.
“It will enlighten the kids to know more about their culture – farming, funeral performance, marriage -. The children are amazed; they don’t know how we are able to pass all that from generation to generation,” he told the media
Madam Vivian Nyaaba expressed excitement for the initiative and recounted how they had attempted to establish a similar policy when they were students, but it was abandoned soon after being introduced.
She noted that if the directive is implemented with seriousness, it will go a long way towards helping most of the pupils at school.
According to her, though she dropped out of school many years ago, anytime someone mentioned a word, she applied the consonant and vowel sounds which aided her in spelling the words.
She noted with worry that most students in recent times had issues in spelling words.
She expressed the hope that the policy, when implemented, would go a long way in helping the children overcome this deficit.
President Akufo-Addo has extended the contract of service of the Deputy Director-General (Management Services) of the Ghana Education Service, Anthony Boateng for a year.
 A press statement dated August 19, 2022, signed by the Secretary to President Nana Bediatuo Asante, disclosed that the service extension will begin on August 17, 2022, and end on August 16, 2023.Â
“I am pleased to inform you that the President of the Republic has granted you a further one-year contract of service as Deputy Director-General (Management Services) of the Ghana Education Service, effective 17th August 2022 to 16th August 2023.â€
Mr. Anthony Boateng will continue to execute his mandate and assist in the development of the National Education Institute as approved by the cabinet.
The extension of the retirement service follows a request from the office of the Minister of Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum to the Office of the President.
This is the second time his appointment is being extended. On 2nd August 2021, the office of the President granted him a one-year extension.
Mr Boateng has served in various capacities until his current appointment as; Assistant Secretary at the GES Council Deputy Secretary, GES Council, Ag. Secretary, GES Council, Head of the Legal Unit of GES, Director for HRMD and Director for Special Education.
TheGhana Education Service, GES, is reminding all schools and the public that the basic schools’ academic calendar released in March has not changed.
According to the calendar, vacation for this second term begins on the 11th of August while the third term will begin from the 13th of September to the 15th of December.
Additionally, the contact hours are from 7 am to 2 pm or 7.30 am to 2.30 pm or 8 am to 3 pm depending on the particular circumstances of the communities. Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors are to ensure that these guidelines are adhered to.
Meanwhile, the Director General of the GES, Prof. Kwesi Opoku-Amankwa maintains that the recent strike by teacher unions has not impacted the calendar significantly.
He said as part of measures put in place to ensure that the lost time during the strike is recovered, regional and district directors have been instructed to liaise with the various school heads to put some interventions in place for the pupils. According to him, one of the key interventions will be extra classes.
Prof. Opoku-Amankwaindicated that all teachers have resumed fully and urged parents whose wards are yet to return to school to ensure that they go back immediately.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) is expected to meet with the leadership of the four teacher unions which have declared a strike action over the non-payment of their Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).
Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Kwesi Kwarteng in an interview with JoyNews on Tuesday said the meeting will “develop a roadmap and engage on how to bring this issue to an end.â€
“We hope that by the close of tomorrow [Wednesday] some progress would have been made,†he told Emefa Apawu on Newsnight.
Mr. Kwarteng is optimistic that the various stakeholders involved would show commitment and goodwill to resolve the impasse.
Responding to calls by the Minority for schools to be shut down due to the strike action, he noted that the GES directive for schools to remain open despite the industrial action is the best interim solution.
“We know there is a problem and we know there has to be a decision that ought to be made…In the interim, this takes very good care of these children while we look at an immediate resolution of the strike action which is just tomorrow. That is even with regards to the schools that are operating the boarding system in the SHS schools.
“If you come to the basic level that is the primary schools to the JHS level, we could not have shut down the schools because it is possible that some parents did not even know and the temptation to take their wards to school will be high,†he stated.
Background
Four teacher unions on Monday, July 4 declared an indefinite nationwide strike over demands for the payment of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).
The unions, comprising the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT), are demanding that 20% of their basic salary be paid to them.
“We can no longer bear the hardship. Even more so, we reject the inequality of salaries in the public services of this country. We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on our intention to go on strike, having gone past the June 30, 2022 deadline [that] we gave government for the payment of the Cost of Living Allowance.
“Consequently, we have decided to embark on a strike action effective today, Monday, July 4, 2022. By this, we are informing the general public that we are withdrawing all our services in all the pre-tertiary education space this includes teaching and non-teaching staff,†the teachers announced.
Some 26,954 candidates representing 67.5 per cent were successful out of the 39,918 candidates who were shortlisted for the December 2021 promotion test to various teaching grades within the Ghana Education Service (GES).
This was contained in a statement released by the GES.
The promotion test was written for the grades including Deputy Director, Assistant Director I, Assistant Director II and Principal Superintendent.
Out of the 3,538 candidates who took the test for the, Deputy Director grade, 2,330, representing 65.8 per cent passed.
Also, 7,785 representing 71 per cent out of the 10,950 candidates who took the test passed for the Assistant Director grade.
For the Principal Superintendent grade, 2,298 representing 69 per cent were successful, out of the 3,329 candidates, who were shortlisted for the test.
“Formal promotion letters will be released in due course,†the GES revealed in the statement.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has reminded heads of public basic institutions of the scheduled calendar for the 2022 academic year.
According to the GES, heads of basic schools are to take note of the calendar and “implement accordingly.â€
In a statement issued by its Deputy Director-General, Mr Kwabena Bempah-Tandoh on Tuesday, 22 March 2022, the GES stated the calendar for the year as follows:
“First term 18 January 2022 to 7 April 2022, Second term 10 May 2022 to 11 August 2022, Third term 13 September 2022 to 15 December 2022.â€
It also reminded heads of schools of the contact hours being from “7am to 2pm, 7.30 to 2.30pm and 8am 3pm.â€
As part of the efforts to curb examination malpractices and leakages, the former Director for Ghana Education Service, Charles Aheto Tsegah, has proposed a review of punishment given to offenders.
According to him, examination malpractice should be no longer be considered as a misdemeanour but rather a criminal offence.
Speaking at the launch of the Eduwactch 2021 WASSCE Ghana monitoring report, Charles Aheto Tsegah, said there is a need for culprits to be prosecuted when engaging in exams malpractice. He believes this will deter people from engaging in these activities.
“Our sanctions for examination malpractices are all misdemeanours but let’s move it from that and make a criminal act such that individuals who are caught or implicated in examination malpractice will face the law based on criminal action. We need that to be able to strengthen the punishment,†he said.
His comment follows recent leakages and exam malpractices that have been reported in the past two years.
A report by Eduwatch revealed that about 11 papers out of 20 papers were leaked in the 2021 WASSCE.
Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has also revealed how multi-million businesses enterprises were established just to leak question papers from uncertain sources.
These platforms are marketed to students, teachers, and school owners using a social media platform, Telegram.
Eduwatch, as part of the investigation, subscribed to over 20 platforms with a combined subscribership of over 200,000 members with questions sold for between GHC30 and GHC150 per paper.
“Elective mathematics was the highest priced question, these payments were made via mobile money after which the team got enrolled on paid platforms where questions were delivered up to ten hours before the paper,” Eduwatch report indicated.
The management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has promoted four Best Teacher Award winners for their outstanding performance in teaching and learning leading to the development of education in the country.
Each of the teachers was promoted from their current rank to the next rank ahead of them as a means of motivating them and encouraging other teachers to appreciate the need to work hard.
Three of those promoted were teachers who won awards at last year’s Ghana Teachers Prize while the other one was the winner of last year’s edition of the African Union Best Teacher award.
Awardees
The four teachers; Miss Gloria Anima Junior, a teacher at Aboabo No. 4 Presby Primary in the Dormaa Municipality in the Bono Region, was promoted out of turn to the grade of Assistant Director I from Assistant Director II.
She was the 1st runner-up for the 2020 Ghana Teacher Prize award.
Miss Sandra Osei, a teacher at Akwatia Technical Institute in the Denkyembour district in the Eastern Region, was also promoted out of turn to the grade of Assistant Director I from Assistant Director II. She was also the 2nd runner-up for the 2020 Ghana Teacher Prize award.
Mr Eric Asamoah Asante, who was the 2020 Best Teacher at the Ghana Teacher Prize and a teacher at Naylor SDA Basic School in Tema in the Greater Accra Region, was also promoted out of turn to Assistant Director I.
The 2020 African Union Best Teacher, Miss Theodosia Larkai Oppong, a teacher at the Aburi Girl’s Senior High School in the Akuapem South District in the Eastern Region, has also been promoted out of turn to the grade of Deputy Director from Assistant Director I.
The news about their promotions was contained in promotion letters to the four teachers dated September 28, 2021 and signed by the Director-General of the GES, Prof. Kwasi Opoku Amankwa.
Briefing
The Deputy Director-General, GES, Mr Anthony Boateng, briefing the media about the promotions, stated that the gesture was a sign of appreciation by the GES to the teachers for their dedication to the service leading to the attainment of such feats.
He hinted plans by the GES management to make the promotion of the Ghana Teacher Prize winners a regular feature to boost the morale of all teachers to strive to win any of such awards.
Background
The promotion of teachers in the pre-tertiary level in the country is done after the teachers have spent at least four years after the last promotion before qualifying for the next rank.
After qualifying for the next rank, the teacher applies for promotion and is offered the opportunity to be assessed by the GES before being promoted to the next rank.
With the promotion of these four teachers, the GES decided to use what is called ‘out of turn’ which means that they were being promoted irrespective of when they were last promoted as a means of appreciation and motivation to the teacher to work extra hard at all times.
Ghanaian comedian and professional Teacher Michael Owusu Afriyie known widely as Teacher Kwadwo will face the Akrofuom District Education Directorate today, August 10, 2021, for an alleged act of professional misconduct.
Teacher Kwadwo has been invited by the committee to answer some questions regarding his conduct as a teacher.
A letter shared on his social media page read “you are invited to appear before the Akrofuom District Education Directorate for alleged professional misconducts”.
It is unknown what professional misconduct entails but the award-winning comedian has been on a campaign on social media where he highlights major issues affecting the teaching profession.
From poor remuneration to poor classrooms, Teacher Kwadwo has been touring various parts of the country to bring to light some of the teething challenges facing the education sector.
Professor George K.T. Oduro, the immediate past Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to create a support system for teachers to facilitate the application of learner-centred teaching approaches in the classroom.
He said this would help achieve the purpose for which the standard-based curriculum was introduced, adding that teachers should be equipped with requisite knowledge and skills for using Information, Communication Technology (ICT) as an interactive tool for making students more creative and reflective in the classroom.
“Teachers need to be supported to enable them to uphold good teaching orientations. This is because no matter the effectiveness of a teacher, little achievement can be recorded if the requisite teaching-learning materials, laboratory equipment and professional support are absent or non-available in the school system,†he said.
Prof Oduro made the call in his speech delivered at the 6th Quadrennial (53rd) Delegates Conference of the Agona Municipal branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).
It was one theme: “GNAT @90: Equipping the Teacher with Contemporary Teaching Methods for Quality Education Delivery in Agona.â€
Prof Oduro commended the GNAT for moving beyond the usual salary increase-focused advocacy by choosing a conference theme that had a direct bearing on quality enhancement of teacher professional practice in the classroom.
He said: “The theme is central to Target 4.1 of SDG 4 which mandates governments to put in place strategies that would ensure that
By 2030, … all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education, leading to effective learning outcomes.â€
Prof Oduro said in contemporary times, what teachers needed to make the standard-based curriculum more impactful was a teaching model that places the student/learner at the centre of the teaching-learning process and views teaching as a facilitation act.
“It is important, therefore, that the GES ensures that logistics to support teaching and learning and the requisite professional development, necessary for enhancing teaching and learning for sustainable development, are provided.
“The GNAT should also demonstrate practical commitment to the advancement of e-teaching and e-learning among its members by advocating for sustained capacity strengthening of teachers in the use of e-teaching tools. By so doing, the professionalism of teachers will be ensured as they cope with the demands of the standards-based curriculum.
“We cannot succeed in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030 and achieve the goals underlying the standard-based curriculum if we do not adopt a more learner-centred and democratic approach to teaching and move away from the examination-focused teaching,†he said.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has stated that reopening date for final year senior high school students has not been extended.
The GES which took notice of a Facebook post being circulated that the reopening date for SHS3 students has been postponed again to 28th May, 2021, said no such decision has been taken.
“Management wishes to make it clear that no such decision has been made and that the reopening of SHS 3 students remains as 5th May 2021,†GES stated.
It has therefore urged all students, staff, parents and the general public to to disregard the fake news being circulated by some unscrupulous persons.
“Management again assures all that the new academic calendar will be published in due course,†GES added.
The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has chided the Ghana Education Service (GES) for postponing the reopening date for final year students in senior high schools.
GES in a press release on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, announced that it had postponed the reopening date for final year students to May 5, 2021.
It explained that “this is to give the form 3 students an uninterrupted instructional period till they write their final examination.â€
Although GES has apologized to parents and affected students for the delay in communicating the directive, it has come under heavy criticisms from various stakeholders in the education sector as some final year students had already reported to school.
Commenting on the issue, NUGS in a statement signed by its President, Isaac Jay Hyde, and dated Thursday, April 8, 2021, described the activities of GES as “shambolic†adding that “the level of ineptitude and gross inconsistencies by management of GES cannot be overemphasized.â€
Chronicling a number of times GES had to alter the academic year, NUGS said GES cannot continuously make parents and students pay for their “incompetenceâ€
“This is certainly not the first time an unfortunate decision like this has been announced at the last minute by GES.
“GES recently inconvenienced Form One students and their parents by changing their reporting date from 10th March to 18th March 2021.
“They have repeated this canker of an attitude coupled with a very late notice to form three students who have a limited time to prepare adequately for their final exams.
“In fact, since 2018, the Ghana Education Service has changed reopening dates eight (8) times, leaving both parents and students to suffer the brunt of their decisions†parts of the statement read.
NUGS further charged GES to “wake up from their slumber†and effectively discharge its duties.
“We support any initiative that advances the cause of education and eliminates barriers to educational growth of every Ghanaian child. Beyond brilliant policies is also the need for proper implementation in order for us to achieve the maximum benefits of such initiatives.
“The GES has fallen short in recent times. The leadership of GES must wakeup from their slumber. The recent happenings at the GES does not only affect the Ghanaian students competitiveness at the global stage +ut also threatens the success chalked over the years within the educational front.
“It is our hope this level of incompetence has not come to stay,†the statement read.
Management of the Ghana Education Service has announced that schools across the country will go on Easter break from Thursday, April 1, 2021, to Tuesday, April 6, 2021.
According to the GES, the Easter break is compulsory for all schools including schools with boarding students.
However, students who wish to stay on campus will be allowed to stay and fed by the respective school authorities.
The statement signed by the GES Head of Public Relations, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, further disclosed that SHS 3 final year students are expected to resume for the second session of their first semester on Wednesday, April 7, 2021.
First-year Senior High School (SHS) students across the country are expected to report to school from Thursday, 18 March to Sunday, 21 March 2021 the Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced.
First-year SHS students across the country were initially scheduled to report to school on Wednesday, 10 March 2021.
However, the GES has postponed the reopening date to enable “the students and parents have ample time to prepare for school and School Management also prepare to receive them.â€
A statement issued by the GES and signed by its Head, Public Relations Unit, Cassandra Twum Ampofo said: “Management has also noted that some students have not yet enrolled and the extension will give these students the opportunity to do so as well.
“Academic work will commence fully on Monday 22nd March 2021.â€
The statement further disclosed that Second and third-year SHS students will go on Mid Semester break from Monday, 8 March to Thursday, 11 March 2021.
It added that: “The Mid Semester break is not compulsory and so students who wish to stay on campus must be fed and adhere to school rules.â€
Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof. Kwesi Opoku Amankwa says parents are not allowed to visit their children in their schools.
Prof. Kwesi Opoku Amankwa urged the parents to give all necessary items their children need for school to them before going to campus because once they enter their various schools, there is no way they can reach out to their children in person.
Senior High Schools will reopen on Wednesday, March 10.
Form 1 single track, Form 2 gold and Form 3 single track students are the ones resuming on Wednesday.
In an interview on ”Kokrokoo” on Peace FM, Prof. Opoku Amankwa said; ”The directive is that they can’t visit their children. The parents are allowed to send the children to school but after that, they are not permitted to visit them.”
He also advised parents to ensure their children follow the COVID-19 protocols both in and out of the school premises.
Ghana Education Service says that it is preparing to release the computerized school placement for the 2020/2021 academic year.
This was indicated in a statement signed by the Head of the Public Relations Unit at GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo.
“The Ghana Education Service (GES) informs the general public that it is preparing sufficiently to release the computerized School placement soon,†part of the statement reads.
In view of the Covid situation, the Service has resolved to establish call centres across the country for people who have issues with their placement.
“It should be noted that due to the COVID-19 situations, Management of the GES is setting up call centres across the Country and other appropriate alternative measures to resolve all placement-related issues.â€
GES has assured parents and candidates that it is “committed to ensuring a smooth, merit-based SHS placement process under established guidelines.â€
The placement will cover candidates, both school and private, who wrote the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2020, as well as other re-entrants.
In all, about 525,000 qualified BECE candidates will be seeking placement into 721 senior high, technical and vocational schools of their choices which have declared about 535,000 vacancies.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has urged all stakeholders to remain calm as it prepares to release the computerised school placement “soonâ€.
There have been numerous reports about the school placements but by a press release on Sunday, February 21, the GES hinted that the exercise has not been done with yet.
This comes after an earlier promise to place the over 525,000 qualified students in 721 senior high, technical and vocational schools latest Sunday, February 21.
“The Service continually assures parents, guardians, candidates and the general public to remain calm as GES is committed to ensuring a smooth, merit-based SHS placement process under established guidelines and look forward to their full cooperation in this regard,†the release signed by the Head of the Public Relations Unit of GES, Cassandra twum Ampofo, said.
It added that as a result of the Covid-19 situation, call centres will be set up across the country and other appropriate alternative measures will be put in place to resolve all issues connected with the exercise.
The Ghana Education Service has asked school heads and parents to exercise patience as they ensure that every school benefits from the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) across the county.
The GES has said that no school in the country will be left out in the distribution of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) following the resumption of schools amid the Coronavirus pandemic.
The Ghana Education Service press statement follows the agitations and concerns raised by some parents and school heads that some schools are not benefiting from the distribution of personal protective kits after reopening.
However, responding to these concerns raised by various stakeholders, the Public Relations Officer of GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo in an interview with Citi TV called for calm as they continue the distribution of the PPEs.
“The distribution of the PPE is ongoing, and as of now some schools have not had some, but I will urge them to calm down. No school will be left out.”
“Once we have started distribution, and they are aware that public schools are getting the PPE, they will also get theirs. They should wait patiently while the delivery gets to their end,†she concluded.
Joseph Nii Ayi Ayitey, Circuit Supervisor (CS) of the Ojoo Circuit 07 of the Ablekuma South Education Office, on Tuesday advised pupils to supplement classroom studies with digital means to enhance learning.
These digital means included participation in the distance learning programmes on television and radio and research with the use of the internet.
Mr Ayitey advised during interaction some schools in the Ablekuma South Constituency to celebrate “My First Day at School,†to welcome pupils and students to the classroom.
He urged the pupils to take advantage of the various learning platforms on the radio and study after classes to augment the efforts of their teachers in the classroom.
“We are not in normal times therefore I urge pupils to be thoughtful and make an effort to study online or with the distance learning platforms to make them enlightened,†he said.
He also appealed to the pupils to comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.
“The disease is real and they must practice all the safety protocols such as hand washing, wearing of nose masks, and social distancing.
“Pupils should be in their nose masks from homes to the school and from the school back to homes when school closesâ€.
He called on the teachers to teach the pupils and monitor them extensively especially during this period of the pandemic since they were COVID-19 Ambassadors.
Mr Ayitey applauded parents for obeying and practising in the safety measures against COVID-19 and for providing their wards with nose masks and sanitizers to school to mitigate the spread of the pandemic.
He, however, urged parents to encourage their wards to always use the nose masks and ensured the children always have hand sanitizers in their packages before sending them off to school.
He said even though all teachers and pupils were COVID-19 Ambassadors, the Circuit had designated COVID-19 prefects in each class, and COVID-19 teachers on duty, in each school to monitor and prompt pupils on the use and observance of the safety protocols.
As part of the monitoring, Mr Ayitey presented learning materials including pencils, biscuits and drinks to the new pupils in the kindergarten and class one to welcome and motivate.
The schools toured were: A. M. E. Zion C Basic School, A. M. E. Zion B Basic School; Mamprobi Market 2 Primary School; Martyrs of Uganda; Nii Kodjo Ababioo Basic School; St. Georges Anglican Basic School; Mamprobi Sempe 1 Basic School; and Mamprobi South 3 Basic School.
The entourage included were Madam Lydia Kwartey Ankrah, Second Cycle Coordinator and Mr William Lamptey Quaye, P. E. Coordinator.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) says all necessary measures have been put in place ahead of the official re-opening of basic schools on Monday, January 18, 2021, for effective teaching and learning.
The Service, in a statement issued in Accra, and signed by Ms. Cassandra Twum Ampofo, Head of Public Relations Unit, therefore, urged pupils, parents, teachers, and the public not to panic.
It said academic work would commence on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
The statement, directed that all schools should use Monday to tidy up classrooms and school environments for academic work.
“In the light of that, Management wishes to inform all stakeholders that the annual event dubbed “My First Day at School†observed to welcome children entering school for the first time, will be held across all Districts and Regional Education Directorate on Tuesday 19th January 2021.
“Let us get back to school for safe learning,†the statement added.
The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Peki Senior High School in the Volta Region has petitioned the Volta Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to investigate allegations of rape and sexual assault levelled against the headteacher of the School.
The latest allegation against the headteacher, Jonathan Delase Agble, involves a pregnant student.
The PTA has thus reported the matter to the Police in Peki Avetile while petitioning the GES for the removal of the headteacher.
According to the latest victim, Mr Agble tried to convince her to have sex with him to ensure her baby was not born deformed.
“He said because the guy who impregnated me is not on campus, he will take me as his daughter and then do everything that will be needed.â€
She also said the teacher threatened her and eventually raped her.
“He forced and had sex with me and led me to the high gate and asked me to go back to campus but warned me not to tell anybody.â€
According to the victim who has been granted exeat to seek medical help at home, she has been suffering abdominal pains since the rape.
Upon reaching the school premises, Citi News also identified six girls who admitted that the headteacher had made sexual advances towards them.
The PTA chairman, Mr Christian Ani-Frimpong in a Citi News interview explained that the association had no option than to report the matter to the police and seek the intervention of the Ghana Education Service.
“We are petitioning GES to intervene because they are the owners of the school and if an incident of this nature happens, it is only fair that we call on them to investigate the matter so well so that the truth of the matter will be established.â€
When contacted for his response to the allegations, Mr. Agble said rather wants the authorities to investigate the allegations.
The Coalition of Aggrieved Teachers with arrears dating as far back 2012 on Wednesday, 30 September 2020 besieged the Ghana Education Service Head Office to petition the Director-General of Education on their legacy arrears which they say is long overdue.
According to the aggrieved teachers, it has been rumoured recently that, the government has paid in full, all their members the arrears which according to them is untrue necessitating their action Wednesday morning.
Numbering about 70 from across the country to represent their various groups, the teachers once again petitioned the Director-General to come clear on the payment of their arrears….
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has stated that selection of Senior high schools for candidates who just completed their BECE begins today, Monday, September 21, 2020.
The Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) allows GES to place qualified candidates who sit for the BECE at the Junior High School level into any public senior high, technical or vocational school.
For many, though the CSSPS is embattled with many challenges, it seems to have instilled some level of sanity, fairness and ease into the admission of students into the selection of schools.
Parents and guardians have been strongly advised to take keen interest in the selection processes for a smooth placement of students.
“Parents and guardians are encouraged to take active interest in guiding their wards to choose schools based on their performance.â€
According to the Service, parents and students should “seek for explanations and clarifications from the school management if [they] do not know what to do.â€
It added that the 2020 Senior High School register is available in all schools and Education Offices across the country for easy access.
A statement signed by Cassandra Twum Ampofo, the Head of Public Relations of the GES, earlier in September, noted that “there will be an opportunity for candidates to text to shortcodes and confirm their school choices before actual placement is done.â€
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced the recruitment of teachers from the colleges of education.
The applicants must, however, meet the following requirements:
– Completed College of Education in 2019 and have no outstanding exams or referrals
– Completed mandatory national service
– Passed Ghana Licensure Exams
– Will be ready to work wherever services are needed
Interested applicants have been advised to access the GES official website www.gespromotions.gov.gh to complete an online application form and upload all valid certificates on or before October 30, 2020.
The recruitment, according to the GES, is strictly for only applicants who completed the colleges of education in 2019.
