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Tag: Ghana Education Service

  • Badly behaved leaders ‘magically’ expecting children to be better – Lydia Forson on Chiana SHS video

    Ghanaian actress, Lydia Forson, has shared her opinion regarding a viral video in which some students were captured using vulgar and unprintable words at President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    In a 25-second video making rounds on social media, the group of girls who have been identified as second-year students of Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena Nankana West District were heard chastising the president in a manner that has been described as utterly ‘disrespectful’.

    The said video has since garnered backlashes from a large section of the public, including the Ghana Education Service, which has gone on to condemn the act and apologize to the president in a press statement spotted on social media.

    “Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) condemns this unfortunate act which is against every educational and moral principle in our society. We wish to also assure the general public that the outcome of the investigations will be more known as soon as it is concluded,” parts of the statement read.

    But Lydia Forson believes that the students’ conduct is as a result of learning all sorts of bad habits from prominent Ghanaian leaders over the period.

    In a long thread of Twitter posts, Lydia insisted that some government officials, including parliamentarians, have no moral right to chastise these students as they have been bad examples.

    “From radio, to television and even politicians fighting and stealing ballots in parliament, children are watching the adults in their lives behave poorly daily! How do we expect better, when we’re no better? We are failing these children.

    “We’re raising a generation of children who witness corruption, lack of accountability, and badly behaved leaders, and magically expect them to be better? We need to stop trying to hold children more accountable than the adults who’re supposed to set examples for them to emulate. A majority of people appalled by this video will be quiet about the adults these children are learning from. The sad thing is no one really cares about these children or wants better for them; it’s a talking point for politicians because of who they were insulting,” she wrote.

    To her, she said Ghanaian leaders are doing very little in terms of grooming young ones to take their place someday.

    “The sad thing is no one really cares about these children or wants better for them; it’s a talking point for politicians because of who they were insulting.

    “We expect so much from the “future leaders” of this country, but we’re doing very little to ensure they’re in a position to even lead. I’m always disgusted at how we berate young people in this country, like they shouldn’t have agency,” she added.

     

  • GES condemns, apologizes to Akufo-Addo over Chiana SHS students’ attacks in viral video

    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.”

  • Government to build 3 science labs for Acherensua SHS – GES Director-General

    The acting Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr. Nkansah has said government is investing in school infrastructure in an effort to improve education standards and equip learners with the requisite skills.

    Speaking at the 60th-anniversary celebration of the Acherensua Senior High School, Dr. Nkansah hinted that government will soon begin the construction of three (3) science laboratories in the school.

    “I am happy to announce to you that government will soon begin work to construct three (3) science laboratories including a chemistry, biology, and physics lab and I am confident this will go a long way to strengthen teaching and learning in the school”, he said.

    The acting DG who was representing Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia praised the leadership of the school and past students for the good work they were doing to augment government’s efforts in the school.

    Among others, the National Security Minister, Dr. Albert Kan Dapaah, who is a past student of ACHISCO, was eulogized and honoured by the school leadership, who named a newly built dormitory block after him; the Kan-Dapaah House.

  • Appointment of new GES boss: Proper processes and procedure was not followed – Apaak

    Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr Clement Apaak, has stated that the government failed to adhere to due process in appointing Dr Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service.

    According to Mr Apaak, the government, among other things, failed to engage in proper consultations, including factoring in the input of the GES Council before the appointment.

    “The Council has a say even if the president has the power to appoint, and that is why the process requires that before the minister makes a recommendation to the president, that should have happened before the recommendation. And that is where the problem is; when we try to circumvent and ignore laid-down processes and procedures, this is what happens.

    “I believe that if the processes had been followed, a sense would have come that this appointment that the president was intending to make would not receive popular support from major stakeholders or if they had that sense, they would have done some background work to try and prepare the grounds,” he said during an interview with Okay FM monitored by GhanaWeb.

    His comment is on the back of the strike action declared by pre-tertiary teacher unions following the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

    The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT), in a collective decision, announced the strike action last week.

    At a press conference last week, the unions rejected the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah, who has a banking background, as the new GES boss.

    Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 20, the president of NAGRAT, Mr Angel Carbonou, said teachers were hoping that a person with a background in education would be appointed to bring his or her expertise to bear.

    “What annoyed and surprised all of us was that a new Director General has been appointed to the Ghana Education Service.

    “The authority to appoint Director General of GES 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 GES.

    “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 DG of the GES. 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,” he stated.

     

  • Strike by pre-tertiary teacher unions entirely preventable – Dr. Apaak

    Deputy Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr. Clement Apaak, says some of the strikes in the education sector are entirely preventable if government will be sincere in dispensing its responsibilities to the various groups and their members.

    Taking particular note of the ongoing strike action in the pre-tertiary education sector to protest the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as new Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr. Apaak noted that that was the most preventable of all the strikes currently ongoing.

    “I believe that this matter can be resolved very quickly because their strike is not based on conditions of service by and large, it is not precipitated by any other factor, but it is precipitated primarily with their disagreement and opposition to the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah to serve as the Director General of the Ghana Education Service which they reject to. And I believe they have proffered very reasonable arguments to justify their decision to oppose that appointment,” he said on JoyNews’ PM Express.

    According to him, the strike action which is adversely affecting the education of some 8million Ghanaian pupils and students can simply be halted if the appointing authority, that is, the President, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo, rescinds the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah.

    “So for me, if the appointing authority, in this case the President who acted in making this appointment upon the recommendation of the Sector Minister wants to end this strike he can just do it by a simple pronouncement.

    “I mean, I cannot see why 400,000 teachers have to leave classroom to the detriment of over 8million students and pupils because of one appointment that has been made which the teacher unions deem to be unacceptable as far as their standards are concerned,” he said.

    Dr. Apaak noted that while it may be argued that the President’s decisions are final in matters of appointment, it is only right for the President to do the necessary engagement and background checks to ensure that his appointments do not cause the kind of ruckus happening now.

    “Yes the argument has been made that there is no law and that perhaps, you know, nobody has the power to challenge the President’s authority in appointing, well and good.

    “But when you are functioning within the space of stakeholders, where you know that there are elements within the space who also have interest, who are professionals, one of the things you ought to do is to always do some background diligent work to ensure that whomever you’re going to bring on board is generally acceptable to principally those who are in the middle of that theatre, and this is the about 400,000 teachers. That was not done.

    “And I believe if that was done …the insensitivities that greeted the ouster of the former Director General of the Ghana Education Service Professor Opoku Amankwah, we will not be here,” he said.

     

  • Meeting between gov’t, striking teacher unions ends inconclusively again

    A meeting between the leadership of three striking teacher unions and the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations to deliberate on a decision by the unions to lay down their tools ended inconclusively on Monday.

    This is the second time the two parties have failed to reach a consensus over the impasse.

    The meeting is expected to be held later today, Tuesday, November 8, 2022, to address the concerns of the teachers.

    The unions including the Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers have laid down their tools following the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    Meanwhile, some students want government and teacher unions to immediately resolve the stalemate for academic work to resume.

    The teacher groups say, they will not call off the strike until government addresses their concerns.

    Since the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah on October 19, the unions have opposed the move, arguing that the new GES Director-General does not qualify to occupy the position.

    But the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum had defended the appointment saying that the accusations of the teacher unions were unfounded.

    The Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations has started engagements with the teachers to end the strike.

    Their meetings have so far been unable to resolve the teachers’ concerns.

  • GES directs heads of schools to ensure the safety of students amid strike

    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).

    See the GES statement below:

  • Kumasi teachers return to work, defy strike in protest of new GES boss

    Some teachers at the Pre-tertiary level in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, have defied the directive by the leadership of three teacher unions to embark on a nationwide strike.

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT) on 4th November declared a strike over the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as the new Director General of the Ghana Education Service.

    The teacher unions want President Akufo-Addo to revoke the appointment with immediate effect, insisting that Dr. Nkansah does not qualify to occupy the position.

    A visit by Citi News to some of the schools on Monday morning showed that many teachers were in class as academic work was going on smoothly.

    The authorities in those schools who spoke to Citi News on condition of anonymity said there has not been any formal communication for them to embark on the strike, hence their decision to go ahead with normal academic work.

    Some teachers however refused to go to class as they complied strictly with their leadership’s directive.

    The teachers who spoke on grounds of anonymity said, although they had their own reservations and do not necessarily agree with the leaders to embark on the strike, they felt there was a need to comply.

    Heads of various schools who spoke to Citi News said they are not under any obligation to compel the teachers to return to the classroom and as such, they have asked their students to be available for any teacher who decides to teach them.

    The Kumasi Technical University chapter of the Technical University Teachers Association of Ghana has also backed the appointment of Dr. Nkansah as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

    The group insists that the credentials of Dr. Nkansah and his contributions to Ghana’s education sector make him fit for the job.

  • Labour Ministry to meet striking teachers again over new GES boss

    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.

     

     

  • Colleges of Education staff threaten strike over conditions of service

    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.”

     

  • 3 teacher unions declare strike over appointment of new GES Boss

    Three teacher unions have declared an industrial action effective November 4, over the failure of government to revoke the appointment of Dr. Eric Nkansah as acting Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    The unions made up of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana said Dr. Eric Nkansah is a banker with no teaching background, the reason for their rejection.

    They announced the strike action at a press conference on Friday, November 4, 2022.

    Addressing the media, President of GNAT, Rev. Isaac Owusu said,

    “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 on 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 added.

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • GNAT: Akufo-Addo must revoke appointment of new GES boss

    The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) is mounting pressure on President Akufo-Addo to revoke the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as acting director general of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    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.

  • Promote teachers, association members to their designated rank – GNAT to GES

    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.”

  • GALOP Saga: Government to be sued over delayed audited financial statement

    The Ghanaian government has been threatened with legal action by the World Bank if audited financial statements for the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project are not submitted within 30 days (GALOP).

    In a letter dated October 21 and addressed to Ghana’s finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, Pierre Laporte, the International Development Association’s world country director, expressed concerns about the audit statement’s failure to be completed within the agreed-upon six months of the end of a fiscal year.

    The World Bank said it would investigate the “possibility of taking the relevant legal remedies under the Financing Agreement” against the government because the submission of the statement is four months overdue.

    “In accordance with Section 5.09(b)(ii) of the General Conditions incorporated by reference in the Financing Agreement and as specified in paragraph II (ii) of the Disbursement and Financial Information Letter (DFIL), the Recipient is required to furnish the audited financial statements covering the period of one fiscal year of the Recipient no later than six (6) months after the end of such period. We note that as of today, October 18, 2022, the Association has not received the audited financial statements for the year ending December 2021 in compliance with the General Conditions.

    “The Association is concerned that it is almost ten (10) months after the year ended and an independent audit report on the use of funds has still not been furnished to the Association.

    “Given that the audited financial statements are now four (4) months overdue, and with the Audit Compliance Guidance, we write to inform you that unless you come into compliance within the next thirty (30) days from the date of this letter, the Association may have no option than to explore the possibility of exercising the appropriate legal remedies under the Financing Agreement,” part of the letter read.

    Pierre Laporte has consequently requested Ofori-Atta to attend to the brewing matter in order for the audit requirement to be adhered to.

    “We trust that your personal and immediate attention to this matter will ensure speedy compliance with the audit requirements referred to above,” the letter said in part.

    Adutwum and GALOP training brouhaha

    Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum in May this year was allegedly caught up in an alleged phantom training exercise for over 40,000 teachers on the digital literacy platform under GALOP for which World Bank had given $1.2 million.

    This came to light after then Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, in a March 30, 2022 letter to the Education Minister said GES was “unaware that any such training has taken place” and further asked him “to advice and provide direction to enable the GES to respond appropriately to the inquiries from the World Bank”.

    According to a myjoyonline.com report, the World Bank has written to the then GES D-G after Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum failed to respond by the close of January 14, 2022, on queries into whether or not the training had taken place and claims by Chief Director at the Education Ministry, Benjamin Gyasi, that it has “exceeded the target of 40,000 teachers to be trained, insisting PBC7.2B has been achieved.”

    But responding to concerns that the minister had submitted a fictitious report on the training, Press Secretary of MoE, Felix A Baidoo, in a statement flatly denied it claiming it was a smear campaign against the minister.

    “Unfortunately, however, it is now clearer than before that those behind such character assassinating reports are deliberately embarking on a vicious smear campaign project against the patriotic, selfless, and hardworking Minister of Education, Dr. Osei Adutwum, for reasons best known to themselves,” it said.

  • Don’t allow GES staff to supervise WASSCE again -Africa Education Watch to WAEC

    Education think tank, Africa Education Watch, is admonishing the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) to stop the use of supervisors from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and solely use external supervisors during the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    The group made the call at the launch of its 2022 WASSCE monitoring report.

    “The low number of supervisors that were appointed by WAEC was a huge challenge in the supervision of the just-ended WASSCE. WAEC must end the use of GES staff as supervisors and use external agents to supervise the WASSCE”, Programme Officer at the Africa Education Watch, Kwasi Nimo Jnr. stressed.

    He also said, findings showed that centers that had GES supervisors recorded high cases of exam malpractice.

    This he says is problematic as the country strives to fight the canker of examination malpractices, hence, the reversal of the practice.

    “GES staff cannot be made to supervise their own students with an interest for them to pass to enhance their own KPIs. This is what we are recommending because our monitoring report showed that, whenever there are WAEC supervisors on the ground, there is orderliness and no cheating”.

    The education think tank added that the Ministry of Education (MOE) and WAEC should re-negotiate the fees for invigilators and supervisors to realistic levels and ensure prompt payments.

    The report revealed that the involvement of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) contributed greatly to the low incidence of question leakages.

    It also called on the Ministry of Education to explore the possibility of providing access to market-led, pre-university distance programs for candidates who score at least E8 in all subjects to improve and pursue other careers.

     

  • Appointment of Eric Nkansah as GES boss good idea – ATAG

    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.”

     

  • Apaak backs teachers’ opposition to new GES boss

    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.

  • GES PROs, MoE and journalists commit to promoting play-based learning

    Right To Play Ghana has successfully conducted its one-day training workshop on play-based learning and its impact in Ghanaian classrooms.

    The primary objective of the workshop which took place last Friday was to equip media practitioners and public relations officers of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ministry of Education (MoE) with the requisite knowledge to cover and report on play-based learning in the country.

    Also, journalists were provided with data on how the incorporation of play-based learning by some teachers in the Northern, Volta and Greater Accra regions, is positively impacting the learning outcome of Ghanaian girls and boys.

    Communications Specialist at Right To Play Ghana, A. Kwabena Brako said the mass incorporation of play-based learning across Ghana would require the services of journalists who will serve as play advocates.

    Journalists, GES PROs and MoE commit to promoting play-based learning

    “The misconceptions around the use of play in the classroom are many and this requires a direct response backed by relevant scientific data. However, we are aware that individual journalists cannot shift the tide of education coverage alone, particularly around the impact of play-based learning in Ghanaian classrooms,” he said.

    According to Mr Brako, Right To Play Ghana believes that one of the surest ways to help is to create a “non-profit database of journalists who are willing and able to talk and write about play-based learning and its contribution to quality primary education.”

    Speaking after the training, a reporter with Kingdom FM in Accra, Samuel Opoku, described the program as a success and pledged to use his newly found knowledge to educate Ghanaians about the importance of play in Ghana’s education.

    Journalists, GES PROs and MoE commit to promoting play-based learning

    “It was a rather interesting and informative training session and I can confidently say that I am better informed about the play-based learning methodology and its benefits than I was before. This, I am convinced, will help me to better communicate this message to Ghanaians,” he said.

    For the public relations officer of the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Education Directorate, Millicent Makafui Aweke, even though she had heard about Right To Play Ghana and its works, she had scant information about the play-based learning pedagogy as an effective teaching and learning tool.

    “I know about Right To Play and have seen the impact you have brought to Ghana’s education from experience, but I got a clearer understanding of how teachers are to use play to teach and when I get an opportunity to speak, I now know what to say and how exactly to say it,” she said.

    She added that “for [the] government to be convinced to scale-up play-based learning across the country, I think we the beneficiaries have a role to play.”

    In all, a total of 39 journalists and six PROs of GES and MoE from the Greater Accra and Volta regions, participated in the workshop on play-based learning pedagogy.

  • Post BECE get-together banned in Builsa

    The Builsa Traditional Council in the Builsa North Municipality of the Upper East Region, has banned all forms of post Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) jamborees and get-together in the area.

    The Council has explained that the decision was intended to “avoid the many bad incidences that characterize these programmes, some of which include sexual activities that lead to teenage pregnancies, violent fights and injuries, theft and drug or substance abuse among others.

    “I wish to state unequivocally that there shall be no holding of get-togethers and jams within the Buluk Traditional Area this year 2022 or any after-party,” the Sandem Nab Azagsuk Azantilow, Paramount Chief of the area, said in a signed statement copied the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sandema.

    Nab Azantilow, who is the President of the Council, called on Management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Traditional Area to draw the attention of all Head Teachers of Basic Schools to the directive.

    “I also call on drinking spot operators to desist from attempting to carry out the activity in any form or shape they may intend to brand it, as this would not be tolerated within the Builsa Traditional Area any more.

    “It is my firm belief that together we all help keep safe our lovely young pupils from the danger that these events bring,” the Paramount Chief said.

    Nab Azantilow on behalf of the Chiefs and people of Buluk, wished the candidates success in the just ended BECE, saying “It is our fervent hope and prayers that you would make yourselves, your parents and teachers and the Council proud, and that your hard work would pay off.”

    In a related development, the Rural Initiative for Self-Empowerment- Ghana (RISE-Ghana), a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in a statement copied to the GNA, commended the Builsa Traditional Council for the initiative.

    The statement, signed by its Executive Director, Mr Awal Ahmed Kariama said, the practice of organizing post-exam jamboree and parties had become an avenue for various forms of abuses including sexual exploitation, which needed proactive measures across all facets of society.

    The NGO, a member of the Upper East Regional Child Protection Network and the Alliance for Sexual and Reproductive Health, said the initiative by the Council was a “step worthy of praise and emulation.”

    It said the action by the Builsa Council was in line with Ghana’s Children’s Act 560 and the United Nations Conventions on the Right of the Child, which morally and legally obligated all stakeholders to “promote the best interest of the child” in all matters concerning children.

    RISE-Ghana said “It is our hope that, other Traditional Councils and mandated stakeholders will not only give the needed support but emulate such an innovative gesture.”

    Source:GNA

  • New GES boss has no teaching experience – NAGRAT rejects new GES Boss

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is against the appointment of Dr Eric Nkansah as the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    According to the association, Dr Eric Nkansah is a banker who has no background in teaching hence the reason they reject his appointment.

    Addressing a press conference in Accra on Thursday, October 20, the President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonou, said the appointment of the banker comes as a surprise as he is also a special assistant in the office of the minister.

    “What annoyed and surprised all of us was that a new Director General has been appointed to the Ghana Education Service.

    “The authority to appoint Director General of GES 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 and can bring his knowledge, skills and influence to bear on the activities of teachers and non-teachers in the GES.

    “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 DG of the GES. We are not happy with this development; it is as of we don’t have professionals and well-educated people who have gone through the mill in education in this country to run education,” the association said at the press conference.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed Dr. Eric Nkansah to act as the new Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

    His appointment takes effect Wednesday, October 19, 2022. The appointment, according to a statement signed by Secretary of the President, Nana Asante Bediatuo, is in consonance with Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049).

    He is expected to either accept or decline the appointment within fourteen days.

    “Pursuant to Section 19 (1), (2) (a) and (b) of the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), I am pleased to inform you that the President has appointed you to act as the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (the “Service”) pending receipt of the constitutionally required advice of the governing Council of the Service, given in consultation with the Public Services Commission.

    “Your appointment Is effective October 19, 2022. I take this opportunity to congratulate you formally on your appointment. Kindly indicate your acceptance or otherwise of this appointment, within 14 days of receipt of this letter,” the letter read in part.

    Dr Eric Nkansah will take over from Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, whose contract was terminated and, thus, was subsequently redeployed to his previous position at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

     

  • You supported me to enhance my résumé – Outgone GES boss speaks

    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.’

  • Akufo-Addo sacks GES Director-General

    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.

    “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.

     

    Akufo-Addo sacks GES Director-General
    The letter from the Presidency

     

  • Two lactating mothers, four pregnant girls writing BECE at Nabdam

    Two lactating mothers and four visibly pregnant girls are writing the 2022 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.

    Only two out of the 649 candidates expected to sit the examination were absent.

    According to Mr Giba Abraham Adoctor, the Upper East Regional Examination Officer, Ghana Education Service, who revealed this to the Ghana News Agency, two candidates were also absent at the Bolgatanga East District.

    He said the examination started on time and was moving smoothly across the 15 Municipal and Districts in the region.

    He said over 20,000 candidates from 679 schools were expected to write the examination this year in the region and urged parents to desist from activities that would mar the peaceful conduct of the examination.

    When GNA visited some examination centres in the Bolgatanga Municipality, it observed that the exercise was ongoing peacefully with full cooperation from both candidates and invigilators.

    At the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School, where there were three centres, five out of the 1,001 candidates who were expected to report for the examination failed to turn up.

    Also, at the Bolgatanga Technical Institute (BOTECH), which had two centres expected to host 876 candidates for this year’s exercise, 11 were absent.

    Madam Emelia Asigri, the Supervisor for BOTECH BECE Centre A, told GNA that the exercise was peaceful and there were no issues recorded.

    Source:GNA

  • Revert to trimester system – CHASS tells Government

    The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools, CHASS has called on government to revert to the traditional trimester system in the 2023 academic year, since the current semester system puts a lot of stress on school facilities and infrastructure as well as staff and students.

    In a Communique released by CHASS on the 14th of October 2022 at the closing ceremony of the 60th Anniversary Celebration and Annual Conference in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, the Assistant Secretary of CHASS, Primus Baro noted that, “the government should consider the issue of cost-sharing theory”.

    This, Mr. Baro noted that it has become abundantly clear that the government alone cannot totally foot the cost of education and therefore must offset some of the costs to parents and guardians.

    Mr. Baro reiterated their request to the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service to always ensure the timeous and adequate release of funds the schools. They explained not only the money for perishables but also the money for recurrent expenditure to schools to enable them function effectively.

    CHASS also wants the government to come out with clear-cut directives on the activities of the PTAs to enable them to function more efficiently and effectively in all schools.

    CHASS they added will save school Heads the unfortunate queries and sanctions applied to them in their dealings with PTAs.

    They noted that many PTAs are currently dormant due to the unclear and unwritten moratorium placed on their activities since the inception of the Free SHS.

    Source: gbcghanaonline.com

  • “We need a society where girls are free from discrimination and abuse”

    Ms Eugenia Afflu, a form two student of the E.P.C Mawuko Girls in Ho, has appealed to the government and other relevant authorities across the globe to develop measures that would ensure maximum protection and safety of girls.

    She said efforts must be enhanced to build a strong society, where girls were free from discrimination, gender and sexual-based violence, harassment, teenage pregnancy and any other forms of abuse that retarded their holistic development.

    Ms Afflu made the appeal when she acted like Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, Volta Regional Minister as part of activities marking this year’s International Day of the Girl Child.

    It was under a ‘Take Over Event’ on the theme: “Our Time is Now: Our Rights, Our Future,” and included Inter-Generational Dialogue on challenges confronting girls and how to curtail the problems to grant the opportunities needed for girls to stay safe.

    The programme was organised by the Department of Gender in partnership with the Department of Children, Ghana Education Service, Ghana Health Service and the Volta Regional Coordinating Council with sponsorship from Plan International Ghana.

    Ms Afflu said girls had a lot to offer in the developmental agenda of the country when given the needed support and the enabling environment to explore their potential to the fullest.

    She commended Plan International Ghana for its continuous efforts over the years in advancing mechanisms that promoted the safety and well-being of children, especially girls and ensuring that their rights were safeguarded.

    Ms Juliet Ahortor, another student from the school, who acted like Dr Senanu Kwesi Djokoto, Acting Volta Regional Director of Health, demonstrated how effective collaboration between management and staff of institutions could result in higher productivity.

    Mrs Thywill Eyra Kpe Volta, Regional Director of the Department of Gender said it was important to pave the way for girls to overcome challenges and chart a positive path for the future.

    She said The Girls Take-Over Campaign and Inter-Generational Dialogue on Challenges confronting girls provided a unique opportunity for girls to take over key spaces and serve as a mentorship space for their development.

    The Director said the International Day of the Girl Child was recognised globally to encourage, empower and amplify commitments in girls to achieving greater heights in society and the need for society to protect them against abuses.

    The Day, she said, was designated to eliminate gender-based challenges that girls faced around the globe, including child marriage, adolescent pregnancy, low career progression, discrimination and poor learning outcomes.

    Mrs Kpe said it was imperative to build the confidence of girls and support them to take up leadership roles, urging boys to support the girls in their various roles, especially in the household chores to enable them to grow and develop together as partners in development.

    Mr Israel Akrobortu, Volta Regional Director of the Department of Children emphasised the need for a concerted effort to address challenges facing children.

    He said issues of children must be a priority of the municipal and district assemblies and urged them to allocate funds towards the celebration of the Day in subsequent years for them to showcase their talents.

    Mr Akrobortu said the abuse of girls in recent times was worrisome and that it was time to talk drastic measures to deal with the issues to promote the well-being of children and safeguard their children and that of the country.

    He commended Plan International Ghana for complementing efforts by the government through its activities to deal with the situation.

    Source:GNA

  • World Teachers Day: GNAT organises float to create awareness

    The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has organised a float in Akuapim South and Nsawam Adoagyiri in the Eastern Region to create awareness on World Teachers Day.

    On October 5, each year, teachers around the world are recognised for their outstanding contributions to the development of future leaders.

    It is also to provide a forum for teachers to express their grievances to the Government over conditions of service.

    The Police Command, Fire and Prisons services, and medical team from the Koforidua Government Hospital were there to support the Eastern Regional GNAT.

    The teachers held placards, which read: “Teachers deserve ex-gratia,” “The government should be bold to implement the Collective Agreement,” and “We expect a 100% pay increase.”

    Mr Samuel Manu, Chairman of the Akuapim South branch of GNAT, said most citizens were unaware of the Day and expressed the hope that the celebration would recreate awareness.

    It was on the theme: “The Transformation of Education Begins with the Teacher.”

    Other activities were health screening, and football and volleyball competitions between teachers and security agents.

    In another development, Mr Samuel Otopah Ntow, the Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipal Director, Ghana Education Service, has urged teachers to combine professionalism with a good attitude to reclaim the respect accorded them.

    He mentioned some sexual cases reported by some students against teachers, which did not augur well for their image and urged them to set good examples for their students to emulate.

    The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) established World Teachers Day in 1994 to raise awareness of teachers’ contributions and accomplishments.

    Source: GNA

  • 25 Teams for science challenge inducted

    25 finalists teams have been accepted to begin their work on the Greater Accra Edition of the Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize (GSTEP) Challenge.

    After being inducted, the teams of junior high school (JHS) students have two months to design and develop their prototype (project for the competition), which is scheduled for December of this year. The team with the most completed prototypes will receive the grand prize.

    Each team is given the materials they require to work on a project that aims to find a long-term solution or develop a product in their surroundings. These projects will be evaluated before the competition to determine the winner.

    Another set of 25 teams will be selected from the Ashanti Region soon to compete with the Greater Accra teams during the finals, bringing the finalists for the ultimate to 50 groups nationwide.

    Mentors

    With the help of mentors and coaches, the teams are supposed to come out with their own initiatives or solutions to challenges confronting their neighbourhood or community.

    The Director for International Development at Challenge Works UK, Ms Constance Agyemang, said a total of 800 entries were submitted for the Greater Accra Edition and after a thorough assessment by independent assessors, the 25 teams were selected.

    “This is a lifetime opportunity hence, it is essential that you take advantage of it, and give out your best in building your prototypes,” she said.

    The Director of Science Resource Centre of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Olivia Opare, enumerated the importance of STEM education and urged the participants to take the competition seriously.

    She inspired them to use critical thinking, research and innovative ideas to bring up solutions to issues threatening their communities and the country as a whole.

    Future leaders

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Digital Innovation Manager of Fondation Botnar, Siddhartha Jha, for his part, indicated that the programme was designed to prepare the leaders of tomorrow who could address societal challenges effectively by putting technology and critical problem-solving to good use.

    As part of the event, the finalists participated in a series of workshops aimed at providing them with skills to enable them to carry out their activities effectively during the programme.

    The workshops were focused on STEM-based education, team building and collaboration, entrepreneurial skills, business plan development, prototyping and project development.

    The finalists also participated in a drone flying experience led by Ghana Flying Labs and have also been assigned mentors who would be taking them through a series of mentorship sessions for two months.

    Funding source

    GSTEP is funded by Fondation Botnar, a Swiss philanthropic foundation working to improve the health and well-being of young people living in cities around the world.

    The programme is also supported by some institutions in Ghana to advance the course of practical learning across the two participating regions (Ashanti and Greater Accra). Other institutions which are collaborating towards the success of the project are the Graphic Communications Group Ltd, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic Bank and Multimedia Group.

  • Prudential Bank supports Ghana Teacher Prize with vehicle

    For the fourth year running, Prudential Bank Limited, a renowned local bank, gave a Nissan pick-up truck to the Ghana Teaching Council’s annual awards ceremony for teachers.

    The automobile serves as the prize for the first runner-up in this year’s Ghana Teacher Prize, which was introduced in Accra in August.

    Thomas Broni, the bank’s Executive Head of Operations, who gave the presentation, stated that the bank’s support for education was compatible with its commitment to making sure that society benefited from the bank’s economic operations.

    He said the bank was honoured to partner with the Ministry of Education, the National Teaching Council, the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Teacher Prize brand and allied institutions to motivate teachers.

    Mr Broni further stated that quality education for the citizenry was critical for the growth and development of the nation and the teacher was at the centre of the realisation or otherwise of that aspiration.

    As the theme for the 2022 World Teachers’ Day celebration states: “the transformation of education begins with teachers”.

    “Educational transformation requires making deliberate positive systemic changes to the prevailing educational model. Clearly, if teachers do not play their role in the educational transformation process, there would be no transformation in the country’s educational system,

    “The bank’s support for the Teacher Prize Award over the years is thus aimed at motivating teachers to continuously play their vital role in Ghana’s educational transformation agenda and to continue to inspire teachers to give off their best,” he stressed.

    NTC

    The Registrar of the National Teaching Council (NTC), Dr Christian Addai-Poku, who received the vehicle on behalf of the Ghana Teacher Prize, commended the bank for its contribution towards motivating teachers to work efficiently and effectively.

    He said teachers had contributed to the quality of education in the country and should be awarded, to help instil competition among them for effective delivery. He congratulated the teachers, who would emerge as award winners at the upcoming ceremony, on their hard work and dedication and urged other teachers to work hard to be winners next year.

    Dr Addai-Poku said recognising teachers who had exceptionally executed their mandate was in the right direction and he was glad that Prudential Bank Ltd was associated with this good call. He further reiterated that other corporate bodies should emulate what the bank was doing in the educational space. The awards scheme is in recognition of hardworking teachers and their contribution to the improvement of teacher ethics and education outcomes in the country.

    Ghana Teacher Prize

    The Ghana Teacher Prize started 27 years ago as “Best Teacher Awards” but it was rebranded in 2018 as “Ghana Teacher Prize” (GTP) which mimics the global standards in rewarding hardworking teachers across the country. Over the years, deserving teachers have won several prizes such as houses, cars, as well as other financial rewards to inspire other teachers to follow suit.

    This year’s ceremony comes off in Tamale.

    The event will commence with a two-day symposium and exhibition at the Modern City Hotel, Tamale from Monday, October 3 to Tuesday, October 4 2022, and climax with a grand durbar at the Multipurpose Hall of the University of Development Studies, UDS Tamale Campus on the World Teachers’ Day slated for Wednesday, October 5, 2022.

    President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will be the Special Guest of Honour at this year’s celebrations.

  • Bediako Memorial Institute celebrates 20th anniversary

    Kwadwo Asare-Bediako, the managing director of the Bediako Memorial Institute, has urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education to provide funding for the reform of teaching and learning in public basic schools.

    Speaking last Saturday at the institute’s 20th anniversary celebration, he noted that in order to improve teaching and learning in the classrooms, the GES must also focus on its supervisory function.

    Curriculum Evaluation

    “There is no need to reserve 30% of admission quota for public basic school candidates into category A senior high schools, as the National Council for Curriculum Assessment is ready to introduce new educational reforms,” he said. “Instead, the Ministry of Education and the GES should channel their energies and resources into improving the quality of teaching and learning in public basic schools.”

    When the institution first opened its doors to less than 50 students from kindergarten through primary school in 2002, Mr. Asare-Bediako, who told the institute’s history, said it was a small step toward reaching excellence in basic education.

    “Today, 20 years down the lane, we have 1,070 pupils with 110 teaching and non-teaching staff, with 3 streams from KG1 to JHS 3. Several factors have contributed to the growth of our school, but two key factors stand out. These are our compelling vision and our enduring values”, Mr Asare-Bediako informed the gathering.

    The school is driven by its clear and compelling vision to become a world class school, providing teaching and learning environments of the highest quality.

    The special guest of honour for the celebration, Director of Education, Awutu Senya East Municipal, Faustina Alimatu Braimah, in her address, recognised the contribution of Bediako Memorial Institute (BMI) to education in the area.

    BMI

    She noted that BMI admitted over two per cent of the school-age children in the municipality for the past 20 years.

    She congratulated the school on its excellent academic achievement and said the rapid growth and its attendant challenges and nuances in the municipality, called for the need for a balanced education which allowed for participation of private entities.

    “The rapid growth with its attendant challenges and nuances in our beloved municipality make the call for a balanced education even more urgent. The participation of private entities has gone beyond desirable to a level of necessity and urgency”, the Awutu Senya East Director of Education stated.

    BMI Choreography Group, BMI Taekwondo Squad, BMI Cultural troupe, BMI Dance Band, BMI School choir as well as BMI pupils’ Cadet, displayed top notch performances to the admiration of parents, old students, pupils and the invited guests at the 20th Anniversary celebration held on Saturday, September 17, 2022 on the school’s premises at Kasoa.

    Deserving pupils

    Prizes were presented to deserving pupils and students who had academically distinguished themselves, as well as teaching and non-teaching staff who have provided dedicated service to the school. The Pre-Tech students, Home Economics students, Visual Arts students and Science students also displayed craftsmanship of amazing artefacts, food, dresses and household items that blew the minds of invited guests.

  • Should the school feeding program be all about eating?

    The objectives for the introduction of the school feeding program included increasing school enrollment, attendance, and retention at the primary school.

    To a significant degree, these objectives are being achieved as students who would have either stopped primary schooling or been truants due to hunger, especially in deprived communities are being significantly regular with their school attendance.

    Yet, the success of this social protection program should not stop there; it can also be used as an opportunity to make practical some of the knowledge students acquire in the classroom i.e., Develop skills like teamwork, self-organization, self-control, and self-discipline among others.

    It can be recognized as an extra-curricular activity and an integral part of school life for students. With this suggestion, it will be necessary to place the school feeding program under the Ministry of Education; supervised by the Ghana Education Service.

    The district School Health Education Program (SHEP) coordinators working closely with professional nutritionists/dieticians from the Ministry of Health should be trained and equipped to design programs for the schools to follow in implementing the school feeding program.

    Caterers/cooks will surely be employed but the menu should be planned by the assigned district nutritionist/dietician. The work of the caterers/cooks should be strictly to cook and deliver the food at the doorsteps of the various classes. Serving school lunch should be handled by the students and class teachers.

    In Japan, even first-grade students are given the opportunity to organize their classrooms and serve school lunch among themselves. They do this with the supervision of the teacher. The class is in lunch groups. The group in charge on a particular day, will go for the food and serve it. They can serve the food almost equally among themselves.

    Before having lunch, the students arrange the classroom for a lunch setting and do some washing of hands and cleaning. As the lunch group on duty dishes out the meals, their classmates pass by in a queue with their trays to receive their food. With this, the caterers` work before lunch ends with making the food ready. Sometimes they deliver the food to the doorsteps of the class and sometimes, the students go for the food from the kitchen to their various classrooms.

    Students are not passive during school lunch. They do not just line up in front of the caterer with their bowls and plates in their hands to collect their food and sit anywhere in the school to eat. Their involvement helps them to learn and develop their non-cognitive skills and appreciate and embrace both individual and collective responsibilities.

    As they are actively involved in the activity, they learn time management skills since the entire process is well timed from pre-lunch, lunchtime, and post-lunch cleaning. They also learn personal hygiene, working collaboratively, respect for each other, generosity, fairness, self-organization, etiquette, and social skills among others in a real-life situation. It affords the teachers the opportunity to assess students` behavior.

    It is sad that even in the senior high schools in Ghana, some seniors would want to take advantage of their seniority to cheat their `table members` at dining. But probably if students are made to assume the collective responsibility for sharing `limited` available resources like school lunch from primary school, some desirable attitudes, and values like fairness and generosity can be cultivated which students can carry along in life.

    The practice of teachers and students taking full responsibility for serving school lunch gives teachers and parents the opportunity to consciously monitor the eating and other habits of the students.

    It should not be about students waiting for caterers to come and serve them but making students responsible and developing their self-reliance and interdependence. At that early stage of the academic ladder, the students can learn a lot of life and social skills with the school feeding program.

    Concerns may be raised with regard to the quality of food and the class environment and conditions in some Ghanaian schools to allow for such practice. Of course, the Japanese model may not necessarily be copied wholesale, but the salient features and practices can be adopted and adapted.

    The Ghana Education Service can design a school lunch schedule and program to best suit the Ghanaian condition. Already, the school feeding program has its own challenges especially when it comes to financing it.

    But these challenges should not impede the positive impact the school feeding program can make in developing the non-cognitive skills of students. A lot can be done with the school feeding program to help students with their learning and socialization.

    With proper deliberation, consideration, and planning, there may be other potential learning opportunities to be discovered with regard to the school feeding program.

     

    Source: Ghanaweb

    DISCLAIMER: Independentghana.com will not be liable for any inaccuracies contained in this article. The views expressed in the article are solely those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of The Independent Ghana

     

  • Four students of Bolgatanga Technical Institute arrested after riot

    Four students of the Bolgatanga Technical Institute have been arrested following riots at the school on Tuesday.

    The four male students were arrested on Tuesday, August 2, 2022, for rioting and alleged possession of leaked examination papers.

    A police source said the suspects are being held in their custody for further investigations and possible prosecution.

    The source did not state when the police will commence prosecution.

    However, no arrest was made at the Bawku Technical Institute, where students also rioted and destroyed school property.

    At BOTECH, the students rioted in demand for the release of a teacher and a National Service personnel who were arrested by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) for allegedly leaking an examination paper, while at BAWKU TECH, students rioted because school authorities were strict on them not to engage in examination malpractice.

    The Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) led by the Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, has shut down both schools upon advice from the Ghana Education Service (GES) and management of the schools.

    Mr. Yakubu, directed that all final year students writing the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Examination will only come to school to write their papers and immediately leave back home.

    All students left their respective schools by 4:00pm on Monday, August 1, 2022.

    It is however unclear when the two schools will recall their students.

    Source: Citinews

     

  • 400 rice bags supplied to schools in need Eastern Regional Minister

    The Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong says about 400 bags of rice have been supplied to Senior High Schools that are in dire need of foodstuff in the region by the National Food Buffer Stock Company.

    This follows threats by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools CHASS in the Eastern Region to recommend to the Ghana Education Service to shut down the schools over food shortage and the erratic release of funds if nothing was done to salvage the situation by last week Friday.

    Speaking to Citi News, the Eastern Regional Minister, assured that academic activities would continue today following the intervention.

    ”We have issued about 400 bags to schools that were in dire need of food. We realised some were in extreme need and others were struggling to make ends meet from what they had.”

    ”We are working to top up the supply and hopefully, academic activities can go on smoothly following this intervention.”

    The Eastern Region CHASS earlier complained of the food shortages it had suffered for the past two years, as well as struggles with reduced weight of food items supplied.

    It also complained about arrears in schools because of the erratic release of funds meant for perishable foods.

    Because of these challenges, the group considered the closure of schools if nothing changed by July 15.

    It  also considered recommendations that parents “either feed their wards or pick them home until all the situations are normalised.”

    Source: Citi online

     

     

  • 22,000 cant go to school in spite of free SHS

    In spite of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy of the government, 22,000 students offered admission to SHS each year are unable to go to school.

    This is because their parents are not capable of buying them chop boxes, trunks and other basic needs to take up the admission offered them.

    The revelation was made by a Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Anthony Boateng, at the fourth annual consultative meeting on education organised by the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital, last Wednesday.

    The four-day meeting, which brought together heads of second-cycle and tertiary educational institutions within the PCG and presbytery chairpersons was to discuss effective ways and strategies of managing the church’s educational institutions.

    It was also to generally look at the broader perspective of disciplinary practices and infrastructure development in its educational institutions as a partner with government in the delivery of quality education in the country.

    The meeting was on the theme: “Promoting academic excellence and moral uprightness in our educational institutions through religious discipline – Reflection on the past, the present and the future: The role of the Presbyterian Church and stakeholders”.

    “There are people in this country whose daily incomes are less than GH¢30, and under the free SHS, there are 22,000 qualified students who always cannot take up their places at SHS because they cannot buy chop boxes, trunks, and other basic needs for them to go to school. This is how serious the situation can be,” he said.

    Debts accumulation

    On the accumulation of debts in some schools, including Presbyterian institutions, Mr Boateng said heads who were planning to retire or be reposted deliberately accumulated huge sums running into hundreds of thousands of cedis as debt to creditors.

    He explained that the heads consciously credited items and took commissions before going away and that became accumulated debts to pay.

    He explained that most often the heads requested quantities more than or even double what was needed because the more the quantity, the more commission the suppliers paid to them.

    He called on heads to stop that practice.

    PTA

    With regard to parent-teacher associations (PTAs), he said although the noble aim was to enable parents and teachers to meet and discuss the academic progress of students, it had now become an institution for money collection.

    Mr Boateng said parents willing to financially assist schools should do so, but the schools should not levy students.

    He told the gathering that the GES would not accept heads of SHSs collecting money from students because they had not been mandated to do so.

    The Moderator of the General Assembly of the PCG, Rt Rev. Prof. Joseph Obiri Yeboah Mante, for his part, commended the speakers, as well as the participants, for their contributions.

    He encouraged them to continue the discussions to tap into more ideas and innovations to further improve Ghana’s higher education.

     

    Source: Graphic Online

     

  • Over 100 teachers have fled Bawku due to insecurity GES


    The Municipal Director of GES in Bawku, Azeriya Ayeriga, has indicated that his office has granted releases to over 100 basic school teachers. 

    According to Ayeriga, the teachers sort to leave Bawku because of the current insecurity caused by the constant fight between factions in the municipality, graphic online.com reports.

    The Municipal GES (Ghana Education Service ) Director also disclosed that parents had stopped about 2,247 pupils from going to school in order to keep them safe.

    “For now, not less than 100 teachers have been released to other districts to teach, which has created a huge teacher deficit in the municipality with its negative consequences on teaching and learning … I must admit that teachers continue to besiege the offices of the GES to demand to be re-posted to schools they feel safe and secure in,” Ayeriga is quoted.

    He added that “there is no way they (exodus of teachers) can be prevented since they require a safer and conducive working environment to work …. some teachers perceived to belong to any of the factions cannot go to certain schools for fear of being attacked.”

    Meanwhile, the Minority Leader and Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Haruna Iddrissu, has charged the Minister of Interior not to take the conflict in Bawku lightly due to the deteriorating situation.

    According to him, he was frightened by what he saw in the area during his last visit to the region, hence the need for security agencies to take necessary steps to curb the brewing tension.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • ‘One teacher, One laptop’ distribution begins

    The Government has secured laptops to be distributed to teachers under the one-teacher-one-laptop policy.

    A letter signed by the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Anthony Boateng urged all regional directors to liaise with heads of Senior High Schools in their regions to provide them with a validated list of names and staff ID numbers of teachers in their various schools.

    The cost of the laptop was, however, undisclosed in the letter but the teachers are expected to pay 30 per cent of the cost while the government pays the remaining 70 per cent.

    “Management of GES is pleased to inform all Regional Directors of Education, that some laptops under “One Teacher One Laptop” initiative have been received and are ready for distribution,” reads the letter.

    “As part of modalities to ensure a smooth distribution process, all Regional Directors are to liaise with Headmasters/mistresses of Senior High Schools in their Regions to provide them with a validated list of names and staff ID numbers of teachers in their various schools.”

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Coronavirus: Government to provide 10 million hand sanitisers to students GES

    The spokesperson for the Ghana Education Service (GES), Cassandra Twum-Ampofo has said that the government is set to provide 10 million hand sanitisers to students in various schools as part of measures to fight the spread of COVID-19.

    Delivering his 21st address on the coronavirus pandemic on Sunday, January 3, 2021, President Akufo-Addo officially announced the reopening of schools, expressing the conviction that the circumstances are rife for such a move.

    President Akufo-Addo mentioned January 15, 2021, as the reopening date for basic schools.

    “We are satisfied that in the current circumstances the reopening of our schools is safe. So, from 15th January our children in Kindergarten, Primary and Junior High in both private and public schools will be back in schools.

    “All SHS 1 students will start class from 10th March and all the students embarking on the single track academic calendar , their seniors in SHS 2 and SHS 3 will however, return to school from 18th January.”

    President Akufo-Addo further stated that students in the first year of second cycle institutions will no longer experience double track

    “I must stress that SHS 3 students like SHS 1 students will no longer run the double track system,” he said.

    He added “The expansion of infrastructure at the various senior high schools over the last three years has brought us this favorable position. However the double track system will still be applicable to SHS 2 students that are in it. Students in the universities and other tertiary institutions are to be in school from Saturday 9th of January.”

    And ahead of the re-opening, the spokesperson for GES said the government has put in place several measures to ensure that the disease does not spread in schools.

    “Several arrangements put in place, we provided PPEs most of which are still available…government will provide masks and sanitisers, the schools have also been mapped to certain health facilities. All schools have been told to have holding rooms where they will take suspected cases…,” she said on Anopa Bofo.

    She further stated that the government is preparing to dispatch up to 10 million hand sanitisers and hence called on all school directors to stop charging students for the provision of PPEs.

    “We will be distributing 10 million hand sanitisers so stop charging students fees for PPEs…the government will provide each student including those hand sanitisers and nose masks, at least each student will get three…,” she said.

    Source: angelonline.com.gh

  • Peki SHS PTA demands probe of headteacher over alleged sexual assault of student

    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.”

    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.”

    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.”

    When contacted for his response to the allegations, Mr. Agble said rather wants the authorities to investigate the allegations.

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Coronavirus: SHS2, JHS2 students resume school today

    Second year students in Senior High Schools and Junior High Schools are returning to school today, Monday, October 5 2020 to complete their academic year.

    The decision was taken by the Ghana Education Service, after consultation with the relevant stakeholders.

    The students will remain in school until 14 December 2020.

    Announcing this in his 16th COVID-19 address to the nation on Sunday, 30 August 2020, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo said: “With Junior High Schools operating with class sizes of thirty (30), and Senior High Schools with class sizes of twenty-five (25), SHS 2 and JHS 2 students will be in school for ten (10) weeks to study, and write their end of term examinations”.

    “SHS 2 students in boarding houses are to return to their various dormitories on 5th October, while day students, respecting fully the COVID-19 protocols, will commute from home to their respective schools on the same date.”

    Prior to today, all Junior and Senior High Schools have been fumigated and disinfected.

    Just as was done in the case of final year university, JHS and SHS students, the government says all JHS 2 and SHS 2 students, as well as all teaching and non-teaching staff, will be given reusable face masks.

    Each school will be provided with Veronica Buckets, gallons of liquid soap, rolls of tissue paper, thermometer guns, and 200 milli-litre containers of sanitizers.

    JHS 2 students will be given one hot meal a day.

    Assemblies and sporting events remain banned; and the use by outsiders of school premises for other activities is still not allowed.

    The schools were closed down to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

    Source: Class FM

  • COVID-19: JHS 2 and SHS 2 students will be safe – GES assures

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has assured that second-year (Form 2) students in Junior High and Senior High Schools will be safe when they return to school on Monday, October 5, 2020.

    The return of the students is to enable them to complete their respective third term and second semester of the current academic year.

    The GES in a press release said Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) have been distributed to all schools which have also been fumigated and disinfected against COVID-19.

    “Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) wishes to remind all students, parents, teachers and the general public that Form 2 students in Junior High and Senior High Schools will be returning to school on Monday 5th October 2020. This is to enable them to complete the 3rd term and 2nd semester respectively of the current academic year,” the release said.

    “Management wishes to assure students, parents, teachers and the general public that all the necessary measures have been put in place to ensure their safety while in school.

    “All schools have been fumigated and disinfected. In addition, Personal Protective Equipment (PPES) have been distributed to all schools”.

    Closure of schools

    It will be recalled that all universities, SHSs, basic schools, both private and public, were closed down in March following the outbreak of COVID-19 in the country.

    However, final-year JHS and SHS students were exempted from the directive and were to remain in school and adhere to prescribed social distancing protocols while preparing for their examinations in May and June 2020, respectively.

    On August 30, President Akufo-Addo in his 16th address to the nation on measures taken to control the spread of the Coronavirus disease announced that JHS and SHS in their second year (Form 2) were to resume on October 5, 2020, to complete the 2019/20 academic year.

    The President directed that JHSs would operate with a class sizes of 30 while SHSs would operate with a class sizes of 25.

    He added that the students would be in school for 10 weeks to study and write their end of term examinations.

    President Akufo-Addo further noted that prior to reopening, all schools would be fumigated and disinfected.

    He said as part of measures to control the spread of the Coronavirus, all the students would be given reusable face masks like was done for the final year JHS and SHS students who reported to school earlier in the year.

    JHS two students will also be given one hot meal a day.

    “SHS 2 students in boarding houses are to return to their various dormitories on 5th October, whilst day students, respecting fully the COVID-19 protocols, will commute from home to their respective schools on the same date. Prior to reopening, all Junior and Senior High Schools will be fumigated and disinfected,” President Akufo-Addo said.

    “Just as was done in the case of final year university, JHS and SHS students, all JHS 2 and SHS 2 students, as well as all teaching and non-teaching staff, will be given reusable face masks. Each school will be provided with Veronica Buckets, gallons of liquid soap, rolls of tissue paper, thermometer guns, and 200 milli-litre containers of sanitizers. JHS 2 students will be given one hot meal a day,”.

    Read the entire GES press release below;

    PRESS RELEASE

    RE-OPENING OF SCHOOLS FOR JHS 2 AND SHS 2 STUDENTS

    Management of Ghana Education Service (GES) wishes to remind all students, parents, teachers and the general public that Form 2 students in Junior High and Senior High Schools will be returning to school on Monday 5th October 2020. This is to enable them complete the 3rd term and 2nd semester respectively of the current academic year.

    Management wishes to assure students, parents, teachers and the general public that all the necessary measures have been put in place to ensure their safety while in school.

    All schools have been fumigated and disinfected. In addition, Personal Protective Equipment (PPES) have been distributed to all schools.

    Management urges school authorities, staff and students to acknowledge that Covid-19 is still with us and should therefore strictly adhere to all the guidelines issued to the schools. Management urges parents/guardians and the general public to continue to support, cooperate and collaborate with the educational authorities to ensure Successful academic work in all the schools.

    CASSANDRA TWUM AMPOFO HEAD, PUBLIC RELATIONS UNIT

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • GES recruits 2019 teachers from Colleges of Education

    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.

    Source: Class FM

  • Pay 14,000 ‘ghost’ teachers in 15 days or we’ll advise ourselves Teachers to GES

    Leaders of teacher unions across that country have said they will “advise themselves” if the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) does not pay some 14,345 teachers and workers of the Service whose names were deleted from the payroll.

    A joint press statement issued by the Ghana National Association of Teacher (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) on Tuesday, 1 September 2020, said the teachers are also displeased because their salaries for the past three months have not been paid, even though they worked throughout the period.

    Describing the situation as “unacceptable”, the teacher unions have given the GES a 15-day ultimatum to fix the anomaly or “we have no other alternative than to advise ourselves”.

    Press statement from teacher unions

    The leadership of the teacher unions will want to show our displeasure and unhappiness to the unacceptable development where our 14,345 teachers and workers in the Ghana Education Service have had their names deleted from the payroll and have not been paid their salaries for the past three months, though evidence show that these teachers are at post and have been working.

    The unacceptable situation has come about as a result of a list developed and sent to the Controller and Accountant General Department (CAGD) by the Audit Service with the explanation that the affected teachers were not at post and are deemed as “ghost” teachers.

    We will want to indicate our indignation to the modus operandi of the Audit Service in declaring Public Sector Workers as “ghosts” without first resorting to the various service organizations for cross-checking and verification. A simple reference to the various Heads of Institutions of the affected GES workers to authenticate or otherwise, the presence of the worker could have avoided the embarrassment and pain caused these hard-working Teachers who are being made to go through pain they do not deserve.

    After several representations on the matter to the management of the GES, the leadership of the Unions were promised that the anomaly has been identified and that measures are far advanced to ensure that the affected teachers are paid.

    Unfortunately, the affected Teachers have not been paid their salaries, even for the month of August.

    The leadership and the entire membership of the Teacher Unions i.e. GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH cannot and will not sit by for innocent and hardworking Teachers to be wrongly denied their legitimate salaries and compensation.

    We hereby call on the Audit Service to immediately withdraw that list of names given to the Controller and Accountant General Department and also ask the Ghana Education Service to immediately direct the payment of the salaries and arrears that have accrued to the affected teachers.

    We call on the management of the Ghana Education Service to ensure that the teachers are paid without delay.

    The leadership of the Teacher unions, GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH is giving a 15 September 2020 ultimatum for the affected teachers to be paid or we have no other alternative than to advise ourselves.

    Source: Class FM

  • Second-year SHS, JHS students to resume October 5

    Second-year Junior High School and Senior High School students will be returning to school on October 5, 2020.

    This follows relevant consultations by the Ghana Education Service, according to President Akufo-Addo.

    “With Junior High Schools operating with class sizes of thirty (30), and Senior High Schools with class sizes of twenty-five (25), SHS 2 and JHS 2 students will be in school for ten (10) weeks to study, and write their end of term examinations,” the President said in an address to the nation on Sunday evening.

    Prior to reopening, all schools will be fumigated and disinfected.

    All JHS two and SHS two students will be given reusable face masks like was done for the final year JHS and SHS students who reported to school earlier in the year.

    JHS two students will also be given one hot meal a day.

    “SHS 2 students in boarding houses are to return to their various dormitories on 5th October, whilst day students, respecting fully the COVID-19 protocols, will commute from home to their respective schools on the same date. Prior to reopening, all Junior and Senior High Schools will be fumigated and disinfected. Just as was done in the case of final year university, JHS and SHS students, all JHS 2 and SHS 2 students, as well as all teaching and non-teaching staff, will be given reusable face masks. Each school will be provided with Veronica Buckets, gallons of liquid soap, rolls of tissue paper, thermometer guns, and 200 milli-litre containers of sanitizers. JHS 2 students will be given one hot meal a day,” President Akufo-Addo added.

    President Akufo-Addo, however, said pupils from KG to primary 6, JHS 1 and SHS 1  will, however, return to school in January 2021.

    “The Ghana Education Service, after further consultations, has decided to postpone the remainder of the academic year for all nursery, kindergarten, primary, JHS 1 and SHS 1 students. The next academic year will resume in January 2021, with appropriate adjustments made to the curriculum to ensure that nothing is lost from the previous year. The relevant dispositions will also be made so that the presence, at the same time, in school of all streams of students, can occur in safety.”

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Mobile Phone usage in schools to be reviewed GES

    Stakeholders in the education sector are considering reviewing the ban on mobile phone usage in schools.

    Mrs Esther Jones Safo, Ga North Municipal Director of Education, who disclosed this in Accra on Thursday, said the review would be done so that mobile phones could be used strictly for academic purposes.

    She said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the inauguration and swearing-in of Executive Members of the Ga North Municipality Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) at Pokuase in the Greater Accra Region.

    The inauguration was on the theme: “Providing Quality Education amid COVID-19 Pandemic, the Role of the Head Teacher.”

    COHBS seeks to bring together headteachers within the various directorates to share experiences, ideas, concerns and successes in the running of schools.

    Mrs Safo entreated students to desist from visiting restricted websites on phones and computers and rather take advantage of the Ghana Education Learning programmes on various television channels.

    She noted that in the era of COVID-19 headteachers must adopt strategies to help provide quality education.

    “Headteachers play a major role in the school management system and they are expected to come up with efficient and cost-effective strategies to improve on teaching and learning,” Mrs Safo said.

    “In these challenging times, headteachers are expected to explore various options for distance learning tools including online virtual lessons and downloadable lessons”.

    She said currently, schools around the world were being encouraged to reduce the rate of contact teaching and resort to the remote learning system to curb the spread of the pandemic.

    She, therefore, advised the headteachers to encourage their students to patronise radio and television programmes as well and appreciate distance learning.

    Mrs Safo drew their attention to the launch of the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) by the Government in June, this year, which aimed at improving the quality of low performing basic schools and strengthening education sector accountability.

    “The project would also employ the phased approach to accommodate the gradual rollout of the new curriculum by government, which would begin with early grade (KG to primary six),” she said.

    It would be expanded to other levels of basic education as the new curriculum is rolled out.

    “The learning interventions are expected to reach approximately 10,000 poorly performing public schools (KG, primary and Junior High Schools),” Mrs Safo said.

    She entreated members of the Ga North COHBS to remain united to propel growth.

    Nii Tettey Okpe II, Amamole Mantse and Chairman of the occasion urged members of the newly constituted Ga North COHBS to double up their efforts to catch up with their counterparts who were inaugurated some time ago and called for teamwork among teachers and headteachers.

    Mr Edward Obeng Anim Pabi, COHBS Chairman for Ga North, explained that the Ga North Municipality was created in 2019 out of the Ga Central Municipality.

    He said that resulted in headteachers not belonging to any of the groups, hence the need to mobilise them under one umbrella.

    Mr Addo Nicholas Nii Kpakpoe, Greater Accra Regional Chairman, COHBS, urged members to set out and share their visions and missions with teachers to spur excellence in teaching and learning.

    There were solidarity messages from the La Nkwantanang, Ga Central, and Weija/Gbawe COHBS.

    Source: GNA

  • Government committed to lifting financial barriers on education

    Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education has reiterated the government’s resolve to lift financial barriers on education to increase access.

    He said the government was determined to ensure that every Ghanaian child achieved the dream of attaining higher levels of education to enable him or her to contribute effectively to national development.

    Dr Opoku Prempeh was speaking at the inauguration of the middle zonal office of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETfund) in Kumasi.

    He said education was considered as the principal instrument for the acquisition of knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and competencies that enabled people to develop and transform their potential.

    The government would, therefore, continue to invest in educational infrastructure and other things that would increase access and improve quality education delivery in the country.

    Dr. Opoku Prempeh said poverty had over the years denied many young people the opportunity to unearth and develop their potential saying the government was working to change the situation.

    Professor Dominic Fobi, Chairman of GETfund Board, said the fund had over the years supported educational delivery by helping to provide infrastructure and other critical logistics.

    He said the middle zonal office would provide easy access to clients, adding that, plans were ongoing to open the northern zone office in Tamale.

     

    Source: GNA

  • Education Ministry, GES close for disinfection exercise after COVID-19 infections

    The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service have closed their offices temporarily to allow for a disinfection exercise.

    This is after the Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who has recovered from COVID-19 infection, noted that some of his staff had also been infected with the virus.

    The Head of Communications at the Ministry, Ekow Vincent Assafuah told Citi News the disinfection meant workers had to leave work early on Friday.

    But he said he expects the staff to be at work next Monday.

    Mr. Assafuah also clarified earlier comments by Dr. Opoku Prempeh concerning the scale of infections at the Ministry.

    The minister said about 90 percent of his staff had the virus.

    But Mr. Assafuah has indicated that “he meant about 90 percent of his inner circle.”

    “The inner circle is not even up to 20 so it cannot be that about 90 percent of the staff of the Ministry of Education have contracted the coronavirus.”

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Study leave: Submit returns by Oct 30 GES to Regional Directors

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced that the due date for the submission of study leave returns for the 2020/2021 academic year is 30 October 2020.

    This was disclosed in a letter addressed to all Regional Directors of Education on Friday, 5 June 2020 and signed by the Director for HRMD Adwoa Van-Vicker on behalf of the Director-General.

    The letter stated: “You are expected to submit 2020/2021 study leave returns by 30th October 2020 to the Director-General.”

    It, however, cautioned that “staff who enrol for further studies without study leave approval in the first semester, will be considered as having vacated post.”

    The letter added that approved subjects for study leave with pay include 60 per cent allocation for “Physics, Chemistry, English Language, Biology, Mathematics, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Integrated Science Physical Education and French” and 30 per cent allocation for “Special Education, Ghanaian Language, Early childhood, Religious studies, Visual Arts (GKA, Creative Arts and Sculpture), Guidance and Counselling, Vocational Education, Clothing and Textiles, Hospitality Management, Catering, Fashion and Design, Management in Living, Technical course” while 10 per cent has been allocated to “Laboratory Technician and Library/Information Studies.”

    Source: Class FM

     

  • President Akufo-Addo reportedly plans to open schools and build isolation centers in them

    Lawyer Tweneboah Kodua, a private loyal practitioner, during a discussion on Accra based radio station Okay Fm, mentioned that President Akufo-Addo, is willing to ease restrictions in Ghana, and might also re-open schools while having isolation centers set up in all schools in Ghana, so that, when any of the students start showing signs and symptoms of COVID-19, they will be isolated and treated there.

    This revelation only troubles a majority of the student population as many as well as parents because the concern is, what if it all goes wrong and there is a massive spread on these campuses, what happens then?

    Some students and parents on the other hand are very glad with the possible re-opening of schools since all children being at home has significantly stressed their financials, and hence would appreciate the relief.

    Ghana’s total confirmed cases of the novel Coronavirus is now at 7,881 with 2,841 recoveries.
    Source: operanewsapp.com.

  • ‘Drop the Pre-Tertiary Education Bill now’ – Teacher Unions charge Parliament

    The three Teacher Unions in the Western and Western-North Regions in conjunction with the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEW) have called on the national leadership of Parliament to suspend the Pre-Tertiary Education Bills (2019) currently at the committee level in Parliament.

    According to the Unions, there must be deeper stakeholder consultation before Parliament could go-ahead to pass the bill into law.

    The Unions contended that certain portions of the bills were inimical to policies in education which have the tendency to collapse the structures of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    The Western Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Rev. Charles A. Kaku who was flanked by the Regional Chairman of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Justin Nelson, the Regional Secretary of GNAT, Mr. Nicholas Taylor, the Regional Vice-Chairman of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana, and Mr. Emmanuel Kusi, the Regional Industrial Relations Officer of the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), told a news conference in Takoradi.

    The Regional Chairman of GNAT reminded the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Parliament to take note of the concerns of the teacher unions before they proceed with the consideration of the bills.

    Rev. Kaku said the teacher unions consider education a key to national development hence any attempt to introduce policies and legislation in the sector must engage teachers as major stakeholders.

    Chanting “twoboi” to register their displeasure with the bills, the GNAT Chairman said the bill as it currently stands seeks to cede the effective responsibility for the provision and management of basic schools to the District Assemblies.

    It also seeks to cede the management of the Senior High Schools to the Regional Education Directorate (Regional Coordinating Council) with Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) to be managed by their own Director-General independent of the Ghana Education Service.

    Rev. Kaku wondered whether there was going to be situations where each District Assembly was going to pay their own teachers and the capacity of various District Assemblies to shoulder this responsibility.

    He warned that if the bill is allowed to go through in its current state, it has the tendency to break the unified educational arrangement.

    He added that if the bill is allowed to go through in its current state, it has the tendency to break the unified educational arrangement we have now and also has the potential of distorting the unified condition of service as the various MMDCEs will develop their independent condition of service which may not be in the best interest of their members.

    Under section 31 of the bill, the Head of Local Government Service would be appointing Heads and Staff of the District Education unit as well as be responsible for promotion, transfer, discipline and dismissal of the staff of the District Education Unit.

    He said the position of the Unions is that the country is already politically polarized and again any party that comes to power would like to have their party sympathizers occupy positions even when they are not the most qualified people which opens the floodgate to perpetual politicization of appointment of heads of schools.

    Rev. Kaku cited section 32 (3 of the bill which stipulates that the District Officer in charge of the Education unit can only grant transfer to a headteacher or a staff of a basic school within the same District.

    The Unions, therefore, demanded an answer from government whether teachers are now going to be restricted to a District and can no longer get transferred to other Districts and Regions.

    The bill also states that inter-District transfer of a Headteacher or a staff of a basic school can only be undertaken by the Head of the Local Government Services under section 32 (4) of the bill.

    Under the bill, the President of the Republic shall be appointing Regional Directors and their Deputies and determine their terms and conditions of service under section 25 (2) and section 26 (2) of the bill.

    The preparation, administration and control of budgetary allocations of the basic schools shall be determined by the District Assemblies under section 30 (1c) of the bill.

    The bill also states under section 36 (1) that teachers employed in basic schools are on the coming into force of this act, transferred to the Local Government Service.

    The teachers are therefore asking whether basic school teachers are going to be civil servants or public servants and the fate of Senior High School teachers whether they will be placed in the Regional Coordinating Councils.

    From the foregoing, the teacher unions are of the view that the bill will be dangerous to the teaching profession with the tendency of destroying the very fabric of the management arrangement of Ghana Education Service in the country.

    At the solidarity conference, the teachers were resolved to resist the passage of the bill with all our legitimate might and strength as teachers to preserve the unified teaching profession at the pre-tertiary level.

    “We have cautioned and still cautioning that should our concerns and inputs be disregarded or ignored, we the pre-tertiary education teacher unions would advise ourselves accordingly”, they warned.

    Source: Daniel Kaku, Contributor