Parents asked to send children to school

Gomoa Brofo (C/R) June 19, GNA - Parents who refuse to enroll their children in school should be reported to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for their assistance.

This is because it is the basic right of every child to have access to education, especially the basic one.

Mr Alex Ebo Afful, Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District Director of CHRAJ made these remarks at a public forum to mark the “World Day Against Child Labour” at Gomoa Brofo.

The theme for the celebration was: “No Child Labour and Yes to Education.”

It was sponsored by the Gomoa West District Assembly

According to Mr Afful, if a parent found his next door neighbour maltreating a child, he or she should not hesitate to inform the CHRAJ for their intervention.

Mr Afful pointed out that any children not educated would grow to become a burden on society.

Education can, therefore, help to develop the mind even during apprenticeship training, and all aspects of life.

Mr Emmanuel Kwaku Glagoe, Assistant Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES) at Apam, said that caning of school children had not be abolished, but with guidelines attached to it.

He explained that three strokes of the cane could now be administered by a headteacher only.

According to him, caning was not the only punishment that could be given to instil discipline, but other soft punishments could be used.

He said government was doing its best to ensure quality education in schools, and therefore appealed to parents to reciprocate the gesture by providing basic needs to their wards.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee of the programme, Dr Mark Nii Lamptey, said the Day was instituted by the International Labour Organization (ILO).


Source: GNA

Fund for girl-child education created in Akatsi-North

Ave-Dakpa, June 13, GNA - Mr James Gunu, Akatsi-North District Chief Executive (DCE) has announced the creation of a special fund by the Assembly in its 2016 budget to boost girl-child education in the area.

He said the Assembly placed high premium on girls’ education as a measure of arming them to confront the challenges faced by women in society.

Mr Gunu was addressing a ceremony to welcome the First Runner up of the 2013 Ghana’s Most Beautiful (GMB), Miss Juliana Bubune Tititia, who visited the area on Tuesday.

The visit of the 26-year-old Beauty Queen would serve as a role model by way of encouraging girl-child education in the face of the many pitfalls they faced, including early motherhood.

The DCE said an assessment had been put in place to review the performance of Area Councils in area based on girl-child education, revenue mobilization and sanitation, to wake up the people in the communities to their roles.

The DCE asked the 2015 BECE candidates not to be lazy around, knowing that there was now the opportunity to re-take the exams.

He said members of the Girls Education Club would be taken on a tour of Parliament as motivation.

Miss Titiati who hails from the Volta Region advised the pupils to remain humble, hardworking, respectful and shun bad company.

She also asked education stakeholders to help fight early pregnancies in the area.

The Beauty Queen donated exercise books and writing materials to deserving pupils from the five Area Councils and members of the Girls Education Club.

Source: GNA

Catholic University College launches programme to unearth talents of SHS students

Sunyani, June 15, GNA – The Catholic University College of Ghana (CUCG) at Fipare, near Sunyani, has launched the 2015 edition of the High School Creative Challenge for Senior High Schools in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

The High School Creative Challenge is an event organized by the Innovation Laboratory, a research initiative at the CUCG, aimed at helping to discover and develop creative arts talents in students.

Mr. Edward Atwum Anane, the CUCG Coordinator for the programme told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Sunyani that the event created the platform for SHS students to showcase their talents in music, comedy, dance, fashion, drama and painting.

He explained that Innovation LAB, in collaboration with the Brong-Ahafo Regional Directorate of Education would implement the programme in eight SHSs in the Region, adding 24 students would be selected who would compete for awards and prizes in the final event scheduled for October this year.

The schools are Sunyani SHS, St James Seminary/SHS, Notre Damme Girls’ SHS, Scared Heart SHS, Bechem Presbyterian SHS, Boakye Tromo Technical/SHS, Ola Girls’ SHS and Dormaa SHS.

Mr. Anane appealed to businesses and all stakeholders, especially those in the education sector to support the programme to achieve set goals and target.


Source: GNA

Ghana Education Service To Clamp Down On Age-Cheating Officials

The Ghana Education Service (GES), will soon enact a policy to regulate the dates of birth of teachers and other categories of staff in the education sector, Acting Director-General of GES, Dr. Jacob Kor has disclosed.

He noted that many employees of GES swore affidavits to change their birth certificates when they realized they were nearing retirement, or asked for extension of time after their retirement.

The Acting Director-General of Education, who disclosed this at a meeting with stakeholders in Education, as part of his maiden familiarization tour of the Central Region, expressed the hope that the new policy, when in force, would clean the sector of pensioners and pave way for young people.

The meeting was attended by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors of Education, as well as Heads of second cycle and basic schools, Managers of Unit Schools, representatives of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and labour unions.

Dr Kor admonished the educationists and other employees of GES to critically take into consideration their retirement, and plan adequately towards it, reminding them of the fact that “the positions they held were not their assets that would be with them forever.”

Dr Kor was worried of recent reports, which suggested that 46 per cent of teachers did not write lesson notes, and urged head teachers to discredit teachers who did not write lesson notes when they were due for promotion.

He also charged Headteachers of basic schools to strictly enforce the rules and regulations of GES, and show a strong sense of leadership in their schools.

Dr Kor disclosed that head teachers, teachers and other staff of GES would soon be made to sign performance contracts, which he believed would help address the falling standards of education.

The Acting Director-General said the performance contract would be used as a yardstick to either promote or demote staff of the service.

He, therefore, urged them to be abreast with the new rules and regulations of GES, to enable them to do what was expected of them.

Mrs. Mary Owusu Achiaw, Central Regional Director of Education, advised teachers to put in much efforts in the discharge of their duties, change their attitude and behaviour towards work.

She also urged District Education Directors to co-exist with the managers of unit schools to promote religious tolerance.


Source: GNA

Teachers Have The Power To Change The Country

Ms Marian Lily Adams, a Retired Senior Lecturer of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), has entreated government to cherish teachers in the country, since they wield the power to educate any nation’s human resources.

Ms Adams explained that teachers were one of the pillars of the society and the country, and without dedicated and efficient teachers no nation could develop.

The Retired Senior Lecturer made this statement at the eighth Congregation of the Holy Child College of Education in Takoradi on the theme: “The Teacher-A Tool for Development.”

A total number of 184 graduated this year.

Ms Adams, an old student of the college, noted that no other personality could have an influence more profound than a teacher, because students were deeply affected by a teacher’s love and actions.

The Principal of the College, Mrs. Margaret Boadiwa Lemaire, said the students continued to produce excellent results due to the dedicated staff.

She urged the graduands to further their education, and not to relapse into mediocrity.

Mrs. Lemaire revealed that some infrastructure projects in the college, such has the school library, had been completed, while the refurbishment of other projects such as the college's Assembly Hall and classroom blocks were in progress, to increase the seating capacity, and also to upgrade the college to befit its current state.

The Principal expressed gratitude to the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETfund), stakeholders, benefactors and friends, for their immense support towards the development of the school.

She appealed to government and other corporate entities to come to the aid of the College with the provision of infrastructure and the construction of potable roads.

Miss Ajara Bassaw, overall best student, appealed to government to tackle the issue of a high level of graduate unemployment to enhance the human resource of the country.


Source: GNA

Government to strictly enforce teaching in local languages

The Education Ministry will begin the strict enforcement of the use of local languages as the sole medium of instruction in basic schools in Ghana.

This is to support the $71 million learning project which aims at ensuring 80% of basic school pupils are able to read by 2020.

The Education Minister, Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman indicated that only pupils from kindergarten one to primary three will be taught mainly with the local languages.


She pointed out that the education sector “has traveled so far away from it [policy] that we need long-term measures to bring it back and make it effective,” adding that, “it important for the nation to “return to the application and the practice of the local language policy that exist already.”

On Monday, the Education Ministry in collaboration with the USAID launched a $71 million project called the Ghana Reading Action Plan (G-RAP).

The project will be implemented within a five-year period and it will train 51,000 teachers who will be equipped to teach pupils to read.

In 2014, an early grade reading assessment revealed that only 2% of primary pupils could read; a situation which alarmed citizens who called for proactive and effective measures to improve the education system.

The G-RAP will thus help increase the number from 2% to 80%.

The Education Minister indicated that the G-RAP is Ghana’s solution to fixing the reading deficiency because “the mark of quality education is the ability of the young learner to read.”

She pledged that her Ministry and the relevant stakeholders will “continue to share in the common vision of enabling our young learners acquire proficiency in literacy and numeracy especially at the foundation level. Such allows for a solid basis for continued education to the highest level possible.”

Teaching pupils in English is punishment

On his part, the Acting Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Jacob Kor said teaching basic school pupils in English is an unfair punishment which does not bring out the true picture of the children’s performance. 

“We are punishing our children for no offence. That is not the true picture of our children’s performance,” he said. 

He argued that the local language policy dates as far back as the colonial era. 

“Even as far back as the colonial era, they started using local languages to teach us and the performance was good and research has abundant results that anybody who starts learning at the early age with the local language does better in terms of income and life-long learning as he grows.” 

He warned that if care is not taken, Ghanaian children will end up being anglicized.

 Mr. Kor argued that teaching both the pupils both in English and the local languages at the early stages is not recommended. 

He was optimistic that the five-year project will tremendously improve the educational standards in Ghana. 

The early grade reading assessment will now begin at primary four and Mr. Kor is certain that by then, the students would have mastered the local languages which will make the teaching and learning of the English language easier. 

Source: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Government to strengthen supervision in schools

Bimbilla, June 9, GNA - Alhaji Limuna Mohammed- Muniru, Northern Regional Minister, has said the government was working to strengthen supervision in public schools, to deal with teacher absenteeism and ensure quality education.

He said: “Our strongest desire is to strengthen supervision and deal with offending teachers so that they would find it equally important, like their colleagues in private schools, to do the work expected of them.”

Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru made these remarks in a speech read on his behalf at the second congregation of the Bimbilla Evangelical Presbyterian (E.P) College of Education at Bimbilla over the weekend.

A total of 566 students, comprising 427 regular and 139 sandwich students graduated with Diplomas in Basic Education.

Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru said teacher absenteeism and lack of supervision in public schools were concerns to government, since they affected quality education delivery, and urged the new teachers to be regular in school.

“Your commitment to serve should be the overriding factor in all that you do, it does not pay nor benefit you in anyway to be a truant teacher and only pretend to work when the supervisor is around.

You must cultivate the sense of inner feeling of satisfaction that you are serving your people and imparting knowledge,” he told the newly-trained teachers.

Touching on the withdrawal of teacher-trainees' allowance by the government, the Minister said it was not an act of wickedness, but one that would ensure a high intake at the Colleges of Education, and allow a lot more people to be trained as teachers.

He announced that a teacher trainees’ loan scheme had been introduced to replace the allowance, adding, government placed premium on teacher education and would not turn its back on teachers.

He touched on a number of infrastructural projects being undertaken in the Nanumba North District, besides the Eastern Corridor Road, and gave the assurance that government would continue to pursue policies and programmes that would make life better for the citizenry.

Mr Abdulai Abu-wemah, Principal of the Bimbilla E.P College of Education, said the College had developed a five-year strategic plan to further develop and entrench its enrollment system, by creating more programmes and expanding them by linkages with sister-institutions to allow trainees to get the best of knowledge.

He said the College was fast growing in student-population, and appealed to government to help address the serious infrastructural challenges, saying it could not admit more students due to inadequate lecture halls and dormitories.


Source: GNA

2000 year group of PRESEC Old BoysAssociation to adopt Korle Bu Children’s Ward

The 2000 year group of Presbyterian Boys' Senior High School (PRESEC) Old Boys Association has decided to adopt the children's ward of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.

The group disclosed this when they presented items worth a little over 5,000 Ghana cedis to the hospital.

Speaking during the presentation of the items President of the 2000 year group, Foster Mensah said they the group was encouraged to carry out the donation because of the recent floods that hit the department.

“Looking at how critical the department is in providing healthcare to the young ones in the country, we decided to move now and come and support you" Mr. Mensah told hospital officials.

Items donated included drinks, soaps, detergents, rice, toys, bags of purified, water and medicines.

Mr Mensah added that the 2000 year group was engaging with their partners to adopt the ward in a bid to assist the hospital in its work.

Receiving the items, a senior medical officer at the department, Madam Aggie Boateng, thanked the PRESEC Old Boy’s Association, adding that it is her hope that the donation would encourage other corporate entities and groups to come to the hospital's aid.

The Old Boys later went into the wards to distribute some of the items personally to children who were excited to see the old boys just coming around to visit them.


Source: Myjoyonline.com

AIMS-Ghana to improve study of Maths

Donkorkrom (E/R), June 3, GNA - The African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Ghana (AIMS-Ghana) is embarking on outreach programmes to promote teaching and learning of Mathematics at all levels of education in Ghana.

The programme would target teachers and pupils in the most deprived areas to help bridge the gap between pupils/students in rural areas and their counterparts in urban centres.

The initiative is a partnership between the Government through the Ministry of Education and AIMS-Ghana to train teachers in modern ways of teaching Mathematics and demystify the subject as being considered as an abstract one.

AIMS is a non-profit making Pan-African Network of Mathematical Centres in Africa.

The Kwahu Afram Plains North District is being selected to pilot the teacher training exercise.

To this end, a total of 50 teachers at the pre-tertiary level in the District have been selected for a five-day intensive training at Donkorkrom.

Speaking on behalf of Professor Francis K. A. Allotey, the President of AIMS-Ghana, to open the five-day training programme, Ms Sarah Osei, a Career Development and External Relations Manager for AIMS-Ghana, stated that the teaching and learning of Mathematics was a problem in Ghana.

Therefore, she said, AIMS-Ghana was committed to liaising with all stakeholders in education to raise pupils’ interest in learning the subject.

She noted Mathematics was the bedrock of Modern Economies, therefore, it was critical to whip up the interest in studying Mathematics to demystify it.

“Despite the importance of Mathematical and Quantitative Skills, there is a decline in the number of skilled Mathematics teachers at the pre-tertiary level in Ghana,” she said.

According to Ms Osei, Mathematics equipped individuals to think logically and become problem solvers, explaining that one of the key skills needed in Ghana’s developmental agenda was the development of Mathematical talents.

She said AIMS, as Africa’s first network of centres of excellence for post-graduate scientific training, research, industry and public engagement in Mathematical Sciences, had the objective of delivering excellent teaching, research and education in Mathematical Sciences.

“AIMS has it as a mission to enable Africa’s brightest students flourish as independent thinkers, problem solvers and innovators capable of propelling Africa’s future scientific, industrial, educational and economic self-sufficiency,” she added.

Ms Osei urged the participants to take advantage of the training and share their challenges in teaching Mathematics with the facilitators for a holistic training that could impart directly on pupils’ performance.

Mr Gabriel Adu, the District Education Director for Afram Plains North, expressed appreciation to AIMS-Ghana for choosing the district for the pilot project, and pledged his outfit’s support in making the training programme a success and to help raise performance in mathematics in the district.

AIMS has established centres of excellence in South Africa, Senegal, Ghana, Cameroon and Tanzania and aims at establishing 15 centres of excellence across Africa by 2025.

Meanwhile, the Institute has produced more than 731 graduates from 41 African nations with more than 30 per cent of these scholars being women.

Source: GNA

Student shot dead in Bawku

A student of the Bawku Technical Institute has been shot dead by unknown assailants.

According to the Police, Emmanuel Awuni Issah was going home from school on a motorbike with a female colleague when he was shot by three ‘assailants.’

The Bawku District Commander of Police, Chief Inspector Lovelace Kaletsi Tefutor confirmed the shooting toCiti News in an interview.

“Yesterday the students of Bawku technical school were rioting so the District Chief Executive (DCE and the Municipal Director of Education decided to close down the school because they did not want to return to their books. We asked the students to leave the school by 6:00. At dawn today, I was called by the Garu district commander that a student of Bawku school who was on a motorbike with a lady behind him was shot by unknown assailants, 3 of them on motorbikes who run away.”

He however clarified that the incident happened in Garu and not in Bawku as had been initially reported stating that “the student was shot in Garu but not in Bawku as stated.”

He revealed that the Police are ” following the investigation trend to make sure that those who are cattle raiders and those who are known to have criminal records” to determine any connection to the incident.

Bawku Technical Institute closed down

The Bawku Institute was closed down following the disturbances in the school.

The students went on hunger-strike over the promotion of the Vice Principal in charge of Academics, Jacob Felli, a favourite of the students, to the position of Director of Education for Kasena Nankana Municipality.

The police were called in to ensure calm but a decision was taken by the DCE to close the school down to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

No police seriously hurt in disturbances

The Bawku Police Commander told Citi News that no security personnel had been seriously hurt in the clashes with the students.

The riot personnel who were sent to the school were pelted with stones and there were reports that some of the police personnel had been injured.

However Chief Inspector Tefutor denied this saying, “Initially when we went to the campus to ask them to return to the classroom, we sent in two riot cars. The police men were in the riot cars when the students were throwing stones at them. No police officers were injured, there were military personnel as well, not none of them were seriously injured,” he explained”

‘Situation calm’

Chief Inspector Lovelace Tefutor stated that the situation on the campus had calmed down as all the students had returned home following the closure of the school.

“Now the situation is calm because we have sent all the students home. There is nobody on campus now.”

Source: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Students Boycott Meals To Protest Promotion Of ‘Beloved’ Teacher

Promotions in any job is usually celebrated by well wishers, but students of the Bauku Technical Institute in the Upper East Region are upset that their favourite teacher has to leave them soon, and are protesting by boycotting their meals.

The beloved teacher, Jacob Felli who is also the Vice Principal in-charge of academics, has been promoted to the position of Director of Education for Kasena Nankana Municipality.

Even though the students want him to succeed, they say his departure will affect their academic work.

They reportedly tried to present a petition to the paramount chief of the Bawku traditional area Naba Asigri Azorka II about their concern but were stopped by the Police.

The Police say the students started chanting songs, dancing in the middle of the Bawku -Bolga road and causing commotion.

Bawku divisional Police Commander chief superintendent, Lovelace Tefutor said they refused to eat breakfast, lunch and supper and in view of that the Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Bukari Issaku decided to close down the school temporarily until further notice.

All students were subsequently asked to go home until further notice.

When Citi News contacted Jacob Felli, he confirmed being promoted but called for calm.

According to ASP Agbanyo, the students did not vandalise any school property but the Police will continue to patrol the school.

This is the third school in the Upper East Region which had to be closed down due to students protest.

Some of the school that were closed down includes the Bolgatanga Senior High School and recently the Bolgatanga Technical Institute.


Source: Citifmonline.com

Mission schools demand 30 per cent admission quota

Kumasi, June 4, GNA – The Catholic Diocese of Konongo-Mampong in the Ashanti Region has called for a 30 per cent admission quota in all Senior High Schools founded by faith organisations.

The demand has been necessitated by lack of access to admission of members’ wards into these mission schools, a situation created by the introduction of the Computer Schools Selection Placement (CSSP).

In a communique issued after the first Synod held by the Catholic Diocese of the Konongo-Mampong at the Spiritan University of Ejisu, and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the situation defeated the very objectives for which the schools were established.

The communiqué signed by the Most Rev Joseph Osei Bonsu, Catholic Bishop of the Diocese and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, called for a re-look of the country’s education to ensure that high premium was placed on the moral and human formation of the youth.

“Our schools are not doing enough in the area of the moral and human formation of the youth as evidenced in the current state of widespread examination malpractices”, the communiqué said.

“The low level of academic achievement, especially in the rural areas, continue to bedevil our educational system and scar the conscience of the nation” it said.

The communique said it was distressing that parents, teachers and other education officials actually colluded with students to cheat at examinations under the misguided idea of securing the student’s future.

“In the light of the alarming situation, it was regrettable that governments, by their policies, continue to side-line the missions in the supervision and management of mission schools in the country”, it said.

It noted with regret that in spite of all the huge investments in the area of national development, the country continues as a nation to churn out unemployable graduates and attributed this to the unilateral emphasis on just the acquisition of knowledge and skills.

The communiqué urged government to reconsider some of these policies and enter into meaningful partnerships with all stakeholders for the sake of the future of the teeming youth in the country.

Source: GNA

Students must be ambassadors of positive change

Juaso (Ash), June 5, GNA - Students have been advised to champion the cause of positive attitudinal change to help create an orderly society.

They are to serve as ambassadors for positive change by standing against the evils in society to help shape the future of the country.

Mr. Samuel Otchere, the Asante Akim South District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), who gave the advice implored students to demonstrate exemplary conducts, discipline and moral uprightness to make the society a better place to live.

He was addressing students of the Great Jesus International School, at Juaso, at a ceremony to mark the commencement of week-long activities for this year’s Citizenship Week celebration.

Speaking on the theme, “My Ghana: The Power of One”, the NCCE Director said the power of the individual to effect change and help create a prosperous Ghana resided in every Ghanaian.

He counseled them to embrace discipline, respect for school rules, and regulations whilst also working hard on their books to successfully graduate from school.

“You should also do away with attitudes that can ruin your future,” he added.

Mr. Patrick Asare, a civic educator of the NCCE, urged the students to work hard to make good grades rather than cutting corners during examination malpractices.

They should also respect each other’s rights and religion to foster national unity and cohesion, he said.

Mr. Frank Agyemang, the Coordinator of Civic Club in the school, commended the NCCE for the insightful event and urged them to pay regular visits to the School.

The Citizenship Week is celebrated every year by the NCCE to remind young Ghanaians of their responsibilities as citizens and the role they could play to build a strong, vibrant and democratic country.

The period is an opportunity to create a platform for role models in leadership positions as well as accomplished citizens to interact and impart virtues of good citizenship to pupils in basic schools across the country.

Source: GNA

Students To Write WASSCE Via Internet

Plans are underway for prospective candidates for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to write the examination via the internet.

The project will be under a new programme known as the Internet-Based Test (IBT), an online test that requires candidates to provide answers to questions on respective papers through the internet without being provided with the hard copies of examination papers.

The head of Test Administration Division at the West African Examination Council (WAEC), Mr Felix Akuffo-Badoo, who disclosed this in an interview with The Ghanaian Times in Accra, on Friday said the initiative was part of efforts to upgrade the examination in the country, while checking examination malpractices.

He said the IBT had a well structured form of questions that would make it very difficult for candidates to copy from one another, hence curbing malpractices.

Mr. Akuffo-Badoo, who spoke to The Times on the sidelines of a seminar organized by WAEC in Accra, said the IBT would also curtail leakages of question papers as candidates and schools could have access to the papers only when they were seated for the paper.

According to him, the IBT examination would also be marked on the internet thereby ensuring prompt release of results.

He said the Council was considering beginning the IBT with the Information Communication Technology (ICT) paper and later rolling it out in other papers.

According to him, the IBT would enable the country to join other countries such as Nigeria, the United States and England in writing examinations via the internet.

Mr. Akuffo-Badoo was optimistic that the initiative would reduce the incidence of examination malpractices that was on the ascendency, while exposing students to the further use of ICT.

Dr. Emmanuel Kitcher, head of IT Department of the Methodist University College Ghana, in a presentation, identified the increase in student population to be a major contributing factor affecting the processes involved in the organising examinations.

He therefore, recommended strongly the use of IT-based solutions to alleviate the challenges confronting examinations in the country.

According to him, the success or failure of the examination processes partly depended on the capabilities of the staff to perform their functions efficiently but a major part depended on acquiring the necessary software applications to support the processes.

Dr. Kitcher expressed the hope that such on initiative would maintain high standards of service delivery, while benefiting the education system in the country.


Source: Ghanaian Times

More than 70 schools to close over ‘struggling’ Capitation Grant

About 79 second cycle institutions in the three regions of the North risk closure, if government fails to defray the accumulated debt associated with the Capitation Grant.

Reports indicate that food suppliers to the affected schools have withdrawn their services and waiting for government’s response.

The Coalition of Parent Teacher Associations of second cycle institutions in the three regions of the north has served notice that it  will embark on a series of demonstrations over the developments.

At a news conference, the Tamale Metropolitan Secretary of the Coalition, Woadrago Isaac said the suppliers have abandoned the schools due to government’s continuous indebtedness.

According to Woadrago, government has only paid 50 percent of the feeding grant debt for
the third term of the 2013/14 academic season.

This according to him, forced the food suppliers to withdraw their services.

He noted that the regional network of parent teacher association with support from Tampata a local PTA network and the centre for active learning and integrated learning, conducted an investigation which also showed that “Senior High School heads are barely managing to feed students and may not be able to do so for the rest of the term if the grants are not forthcoming.”

The suppliers are no longer willing to advance  food stuffs on credit to the schools concerned or may do so at a higher cost.

Wadrago maintained that no amount of persuasion will stop the planned demonstrations unless government defrays the debt.

–By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Teachers in Brong Ahafo threaten strike over unpaid salaries

Teachers at the Nafana Senior High School (SHS) in the Brong Ahafo region have embarked on a strike to demand their unpaid salaries.

The teachers say they can no longer cope with the apathy of officials at the Controller and Accountant Generals Department over their unpaid salaries.

They have threatened to remain on strike until their monies are released.

Citi News’ Brong Ahafo Regional Correspondent, Kwadwo Brefo said the teachers say they find it difficult to make ends meet.

Speaking to Citi News one of the affected teachers expressed their worry and mistrust in the Department.

“We have not been paid.We do our validation and send to Controller and Accountant General and the first month… they assured us that the following month it will come but March ending nothing came. This has continued up till now and we have not received anything. No one has given us any official notice that this is what is happening,” he complained.

Please maintain industrial peace – Minister

Lecturers and teachers across the country have for sometime now been protesting the non payment of their book and research allowance and other issues.

In 2014, lecturers withdrew their services for a number of weeks over the issue but the
government refused to maintain the research and book allowance.

The situation compelled the Minister of  Employment and Labour Relations, Haruna Iddrisu t o call for calm.

– By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Teachers advised to use innovative means to teach

A psychologist, Dr Annie Gaisie has stressed the need for teachers to use innovative methods to understand the minds and attitudes of school pupils.

According to her, simple innovative methods like dance can help teachers to communicate with pupils and understand them better.

The psychologist said this at a Social Action Day program organized at Brainy Bairn School at West Legon in Accra.

Dance therapy is the psychotherapeutic use of movement and dance to support intellectual, emotional, and motor functions of the body.

Dr Gaisie who participated in the school’s Social Action Day program introduced the therapy to teachers and parents of the Brainy Bairn School.

She said when children listen to the lyrics of good music and dance, the brain releases “happy hormones” to every part of the body that help a child to communicate anger, stress, frustrations, abuse and more.

She added, “as they dance, they dance the stress and everything out. It is just like pushing out your anxiety and everything”.

Head teacher of Brainy Bairn, Akweley Odonkor said the school will adopt the method to help some of its pupils “who are not forthcoming when it comes to contributing in class”. 

She was optimistic both teachers and pupils will  benefit greatly from the therapy.

“We have many children struggling to settle down, attention seekers…teachers will be able to come up with five minutes dance moves that will cause children to reorient themselves and settle for the day”, she said.


By: Eugenia Tenkorang/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Bolgatanga Technical Institute (BOTECH) closed down again after another revolt

The Bolgatanga Technical Institute (BOTECH) has been temporary closed down as a result of students’ agitations and refusal to eat their meals over the hospitalization of their colleague, who is currently receiving treatment at Tamale Teaching Hospital.

A source from the school (BOTECH) told Citi News on Saturday at about 12:00am a student at the boys dormitory shouted ” fire fire fire” and colleague students’ upon hearing this took to their heels to seek refuge.”

Three students fell in the process and sustained various degrees of injuries.

Two out of the three were treated and discharged but the other one was still in a critical condition and had to be flown to Tamale Teaching Hospital for treatment.

Students demanded that the school authorities put up a proper guiderails or else they won’t eat their breakfast.

Even though the school authorities complied with students’ demand, the students refused to eat breakfast.

Several efforts made by the school’s administration to impress on the students to eat their breakfast and lunch while they continue to take steps to meet their concerns proved futile.

The Municipal Director of Education Mabison Amokasiwas invited and pleaded with students’ to eat their meals but they did not budge.

Mr. Amokasi subsequently directed that the school be temporarily closed down.

At the time of filling this report there was tight Police presence in the school to protect lives and property.

This is not the first time students there are agitating and subsequent closure of the school.

In December 2014, there were asked to go home after protesting over the death of a colleague.

They accused their Senior House Master of forcing their colleague, Bawa Emmanuel to jump to to his death after giving him a hot chase.


Source:  Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com

GHANASS ‘98 year group supports alma mater

The Headmaster of the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASS) in Koforidua, Very Rev. Abraham Osei Donkor, has expressed gratitude to past students of the school for their support for infrastructural development and improvement of the academic standard of the school.

He however, called on past students of the school who had not yet contributed their quota towards the development the school, to emulate the example of their colleagues.

Donation

Very Rev Donkor was speaking at a ceremony at which the 1998 year group of the school presented a projector and accessories valued at GH¢4,000 to their alma mater, to among others, enhance the teaching and learning of science.

The presentation was done by a delegation from the group in Koforidua.

Very Rev. Donkor appealed to other old student groups to visit the school regularly, support it, and also share their life stories with the students to motivate them and give them hope for the future.

He commended members of the 1998 group for their spirit of voluntarism and called on other year groups to emulate their example.

Delegation’s remark

Presenting the projector, Prince Bugbane, an anaesthetist, who led the delegation, said the gesture, which was not their first, would not be their last and on behalf of the group, encouraged the students never to stop learning, adding that “learning continues even after school or formal education.”

“Please avoid deviant behaviours like drug abuse and truancy. Let your main focus be activities that will help you to pass your final examination,” he added.

Source: Written by Doreen Andoh, Graphic.com.gh

Beneficiaries of Government scholarship in 7 regions receive package

More than 10,000 senior high school students are to benefit from the government’s scholarship of $500 each over the next three years.

The scholarship scheme is being implemented under the Secondary Schools Improvement Project (SEIP), which is funded by the World Bank.

The scholarship will cover approved school fees and levies, transport to school or bicycles, school uniforms, house dresses, physical education kits, school shoes and bags, relevant stationery and supplementary readers.

The criteria used in selecting beneficiary students indicates that the student must be an orphan; one who takes care of herself or himself; a physically challenged student without support; a student who has sickle cells; a student living with HIV and AIDS; or a student in a household with income below the minimum wage.

In Accra, the Ministry of Education gave scholarships to 2,300 students who were selected to benefit from a scholarship programme for the 2014/2015 academic year at a ceremony yesterday.

The beneficiaries were from the Greater Accra, Central, Eastern and the Volta regions, while similar presentations were made simultaneously in other parts of the country.

Each beneficiary student will be entitled to $500 per annum for three years.

Purpose of scholarship

In a speech read on her behalf, the Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang explained that the purpose of the scholarship scheme was to provide support to needy students and aimed at increasing enrolment, improving retention and completion rates, as well as improving students’ academic performance, among others.

Beneficiaries

The 2,300 beneficiaries, she explained, were part of the SEIP Project which sought to give scholarships to 10,400 students from low-income families, comprising 6,400 girls and 4,000 boys, over a three-year period, to enable them to complete their secondary level education.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the selection process was managed by a team including the district directors of education, heads of beneficiary schools, district girls education officers, assembly members and members of District Education Oversight Committees (DEOCs).

Disbursement

On the disbursement, Professor Opoku-Agyemang said specific guidelines had been put in place to ensure that the managers adhered to disbursement criteria.

As part of the guidelines, the list of all beneficiaries must be posted on the noticeboards of schools, district education offices and district assemblies, and parents of the beneficiaries invited to the schools to be briefed on the scholarship scheme, including its administration and payments to beneficiaries.

A similar presentation ceremony was held in Kumasi, reports Donald Ato Dapatem.

Presenting the cheques to the heads of 50 schools in the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Western regions, a Deputy Minister of Education, Mr Alex Kyeremeh, said schools must deduct arrears owed by students for the first and second terms of the 2014/2015 academic year and pay the difference to the parents and guardians of the scholarship beneficiaries.

World ranking

The Deputy Minister debunked a recent report by the BBC that an Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) ranking of educational levels placed Ghana at the last position.

He said Ghana was not a member of the OECD countries and, therefore, could not be assessed.


Source: Written by Severious Kale-Dery & Donald Ato Dapatem, Graphic Online(graphic.com.gh)