Mr. Anthony Kwaku Amoah, a public relations officer (PRO) of Ghana Education Service (GES), has urged teachers to discourage the view of some individuals that teaching pupils in their mother tongue negatively affects their ability to read and write well in English language.

Speaking at a parade to present a set of supplementary books to Julidem Academy, a private basic school located at Budumburam, near Kasoa in the Central Region, Mr. Amoah said, “It is disturbing to hear some people say that pupils would not perform well in English language if they start to learn in their mother tongue from early childhood.”

“It is not true. A mother tongue is a mother tongue. If it is spoken well and taught well, the child will learn it well and even transfer easily the rich expressions and lessons that are contained in that native language into speaking and writing good-quality English or whichever”, he said.

He reminded the teachers to be innovative in their work and be open to the pupils that they teach so that they can easily identify their challenges for urgent intervention to be provided.

Mr. Samuel Duame, the proprietor of the school, thanked the PRO for his gesture and gave the assurance that the materials will be used for the purpose for which they have been given.

Science student of the Navrongo Senior High School, Akannae Ayine Ebenezer, with index number 0090501130 has scored distinction in the 2017 West African Senior Schools Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) with all As in the eight subjects.

The results were released last Wednesday by the West African Examinations Council, Waec.

Master Akannae’s parents are in Kumasi as labourers, 3news.com gathers. His mother washes bowls and clothes for people for survival while his father works on a farm in the Ashanti Region capital.

was adopted by a member of the Bolgatanga Presbyterian Church in the Upper East Region.

He currently lives in Sumbrungu, a village in the Bolgatanga municipality. Master Akannae wants to be a medical doctor in future.

His guardian is appealing to the general public to help him pursue Medicine at the university.

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has started investigations into a case of forced/child marriage at Kanshegu in the Savulugu Municipality in the Northern region.

A 13-year-old student of the Kanshegu Junior High School, Salifu Rahama, had her education truncated when she was forced to marry Majeed Wumbei believed to be in his early 40s.

Salifu Rahama, who will turn 14 in September 2017, is said to have been betrothed to Majeed, a father of three, the very day she was born.

All efforts by some community members and teachers of Rahama’s former school to prevail upon the family to rescind its decision and allow her to continue her education fell on deaf ears.

Rahama, in her efforts to escape the forced marriage, run away from the family to Techiman.

However, pressure from her family compelled her to return home. A day after her return, she was bundled to Libiga, a small farming community west of Kanshegu, to join her husband.

According to Rahama’s friends, the young girl is traumatised and does not speak to anyone in her new home.

Rahama is looking for the least opportunity to run away from the man to enable her to continue her education.

Because of this, she is currently being held incommunicado by her husband. Her friends are not allowed to visit her and to terminate any form of communication, her mobile phone was taken from her.

The case was reported to CHRAJ which immediately started investigations into it. The District Director of CHRAJ in Savelugu, Mahamoud Ahmed Tijani, pledged that the commission preparedness ensures that the girl regains her freedom to enable her to continue her education.

“We will go to the field and find out from the school and the family concerning the girl so that we can trace and see how we can help get her back to school. Forced marriage is one of the human rights abuses in the system and the commission does not condone such abuses of the girl child,” he stated. However, after two weeks of investigations, the commission does not seem to be making headway.

Tijani said the commission, in its investigations, visited the family of Rahama and the head of the family, Salifu Yidana, the Imam of Kanshegu and biological father of the girl, confirmed the incident and promised to bring the girl back.

A warrant officer with the Ghana Armed Forces base in Takoradi in the Western Region, WO Asiedu is in the grips of the Takoradi Central Police for threatening to release nude photos of an SHS student.

WO Asiedu issued the threat after the student failed to give in to his demands for a sexual intercourse.

According to a journalist, WO Asiedu cunningly pestered the girl for her nude photos for months.

After she had given the photos, Officer Asiedu threatened to post her nude photos on social media if she fails to give in to his demands for a sexual intercourse.

The girl, who refused to give in to his demands reported the persistent harassment to his brother who subsequently reported it to journalists.

After informing a national security operative about the incident, they asked the girl to arrange and meet the man at a nearby hotel.

The excited officer met the girl shortly after the Police moved in to arrest him

A search conducted in his house revealed the said nude images on his computer which has since been seized together with other gadgets by the Police.

WO Asiedu is currently in the grips of the Takoradi Central Police Station assisting with further investigations.

The event, which was graced by the Managing Director of Premium Bank, Kwasi Tumi also had representatives from the Ghana Investment Promotion Council, Registrar Generals Department, Youth Enterprise Support, KPMG, members of the awards Jury and other dignitaries.

In a speech delivered by, Ekow Mensah,  CEO of The African Network of Entrepreneurs (TANOE) and organisers of the awards, he shared that the awards is a giant step in the right direction in giving startups the needed exposure, public recognition and support in their pursuit of building big businesses. He further expressed his excitement about the partnership between Premium Bank and TANOE in supporting awardees through The HelpStation initiative.

The Ceremony was also used to outdoor the 2017 members of the Ghana Startup Club 100, a prestigious list that outlines the 100 Most Outstanding Startups in Ghana.

5 Media firms, Business & Financial Times, Joy 99.7FM, TV3 Business, Pulse Ghana and Busy JUMP were also given honorary awards for their support towards empowering Startups and Entrepreneurs in Ghana.

Below is the full list of winners in the 2017 Premium Bank Ghana Startup Awards

1. Startup of the Year – Zeepay

2. Startup Entrepreneur of the Year – Claudia Lumor

3. Social Enterprise of the Year – Food for all Africa

4. Student Startup of the Year – My Home Teacher

5. Non-Ghanaian Startup of the Year – Tonaton Ghana

6. Technology Startup of the Year – Asoriba

7. Education Startup of the Year – My Home Teacher

8. Agribusiness Startup of the Year – Trotro Tractor

9. Processing Startup of the Year – Dough Man Foods

10. Arts & Tourism Startup of the Year – Leizer-Legacy Productions

11. Media Startup of the Year – Creo Concepts

12. Fashion Startup of the Year – Wear Ghana

13. Health Startup of the Year – Quik Medical Consult

14. Manufacturing Startup of the Year – Kantanka Automibile

15. Finance & Fintech Startup of the Year – Express Pay

The awards organised by The Startup Network, a network under The African Network of Entrepreneurs is sponsored by Premium Bank in partnership with The HelpStation, KPMG, IConceptsPR, Avance Media, Edel Consult, Kumasi Hive, HapaSpace, MEST, GhanaThink Foundation and TentMaker Ghana.

ActionAid Ghana (AAG) has launched a report on Tax, Education Privatisation and the Right to Education with a call on government to allocate sufficient resources to the education sector to improve infrastructure and facilities of public schools.

The country Director of ActionAid Ghana, Sumaila Abdul-Rahman, who made the call in Accra on Wednesday at the opening of a two-day educational conference, urged government to at least allocate 20 per cent of the national budget to the education to improve teaching and learning.

Addressing stakeholders in the education sector, Mr. Abdul-Rahman also noted that it was imperative to strengthen the provision of public education by improving quality learning, recruiting sufficient teachers, improving the retention and learning outcomes of rural girls and other disadvantaged groups to help raise the bar of the educational ladder in the country.

He, therefore, urged government to revise tax treaties and end harmful tax incentives, strengthen tax system as well as curb corruption so as to increase domestic revenues for the country’s development, including investment of education.

Touching on the report, the Policy and Campaign Manager of AAG, Margret Brew Ward, said the campaign for a comprehensive education started in 2015 by AAG under the group’s mission objective with the aim of getting better and fairer financing for free public education for all.

She said AAG undertook a field studies in three municipalities in the Greater Accra Region namely Ga East, Ga West and La Nkwantanang to ascertain extensive information on both private and public schools.

“And with this, we engaged 25 schools being basic and JHS as well as 150 households all in these municipalities for our research,” she said.

Madam Brew Ward observed that following the research, it was revealed that the increasing pace of privatisation of education in the country could be seen in the education sector statics.

She said: “Between 2001 and 2014/2015, private education in terms of number of schools as a ratio to public schools has increased by three times in 2001 to almost eight times more in 2015.

“This trend, supported by government, is also widening the inequality gap because richer children get better access and quality education based on their purchasing power … compared to the poor,” she said.

Madam Ward explained that the underlying assumption was that parents were going any length to finance the education of their children if they valued education, but for the majority of poor parents, the option was non-existent.

She therefore urged government to think over its funding for education as the total expenditure had dwindled since 2014.

In 2014, government allocated 20.5 per cent of its budget to education but it declined in 2015 to 17.8 per cent, further declining in 2016 to 13.5 per cent based on 2017 national budget expenditure out-turns,” she said.

Other speakers called on the citizenry to put in the same enthusiasm around the report to stakeholders accountable in the area of education.

The two-day conference brought participants from Ghana Education Service, Ghana National Association of Teachers, National Association of Graduate Teachers, Teachers and Educational Workers Union, Tax Justice Coalition and other Civil Society organisations to form a strong coalition as well as a voice on the campaign Tax, Education Privatisation and the Right to Education in the country.

SOURCE: GNA

Ghanaian born Hollywood Actor Abraham Attah who was recently outdoored as the Ambassador for Free SHS visited some Junior and Senior High schools in the Eastern part of Ghana.

The purpose of the visit was to have a motivational interaction with the Senior High School students and distribute TOM shoes as part of his foundation (Abraham Attah Foundation).

The last school he stopped at was Methodist Girls Senior High School. After the motivational interaction, he had a private meeting with the national winners of the Student for the Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship (SAGE) Competition who are due to travel to Ukraine in August to represent Ghana for the World Cup competition.

The Ministry of Education led by sector minister Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh on June 22, 2017 unveiled young Ghanaian actor, Abraham Attah, as an ambassador for government’s flagship programme, Free Senior High School at a short ceremony.

A large crowd of prospective personnel have besieged the Greater Accra Regional office to register for this years’ service.

The prospective personnel that turned up for the registration overwhelmed the registration officials forcing them to halt the process.

The National Service Secretariat released the 2017-2018 postings two weeks ago and personnel have one month to do the registration.

It is however unclear why the personnel have turned up in that huge number obstructing the process.

There military  was invited to control the the personnel who could not adhere to the directives of the authorities.

There had also been reported cases of military brutality which the prospective personnel described as unfortunate.

Source:

The Accra Technical University (ATU) has launched its maiden Virtual Internship Program (VIP) aimed at preparing over 500 students of the institution to acquire relevant industrial practical skills on campus.

The four-week internship would reduce the frustration of students who have had difficulties in getting internship placement in industries.

The program will also be held during the long vacation where companies would go to the campus to operate their virtual offices to help introduce students to practical training operations of industry and the real job market.

The launch attracted a large number of students of ATU, industry players and delegations from the Cape Coast Technical University, Sunyani Technical University and Takoradi Technical University to under study the module of the program.

The Vice Chancellor of ATU, Professor Sylvester Achio, said the program is to create entrepreneurial spirit among the youth through the needed skills development to bridge the gap between academia and industry; a way of addressing the unemployment challenges.

He said in order to enhance the acquisition of practical skills by students, 14 disciplines of the University had been attached to various industries to acquire more practical skills to impart to students.

Prof. Achio said a total of 12 industries has partnered the University to undertake the program and, therefore, called on other partners to assist in the skills development program.

The Acting Chief Director, Ministry of Business Development Joe Tackie, in a keynote address, said the future of every nation depended on the productivity of its people; therefore, the government will invest in skills training and apprenticeship under its industrialisation agenda to create jobs for the youth.

“We have large numbers of youth spinning out the universities and it is crucial that we interface the entrepreneurial mind-set in them while they are in school, so that they could identify the various opportunities around them and transform into their own businesses,” he said.

He said that to enhance both the quality of education and productivity, much greater priority must be given to basic internships, an integral part of every undergraduate student.

This, he said, was at the core of experiential education, which was critical to the economic development of any country.

He added that President Akufo-Addo launched the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation plan, an initiative, which will help upcoming entrepreneurs and start-ups to have access to mentoring and business development services and would also see the establishment of high-tech business incubation centres across the country.

He said introduction of the virtual internship program is transformatory and will offer a great deal of flexibility to both students and participating companies.

The Programs Manager, Selassie Kwashie, said the program will inculcate in students leadership abilities, creativity, problem solving skills, strategic thinking and client-centred approach to start their own businesses, amongst others.


SOURCE: GNA

The University of Mines and Technology,(UMAT), Tarkwa has developed an equipment capable of recovering almost hundred percent gold without health and environment implications.

Known as the “Direct Smelting Method”, it was manufactured by the University with assistance from British Geological Survey in 2008 for small scale mining.

The technology has not been fully utilised due to lack of funding.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof Jerry Kuma, who announced this at the validation of the Multilateral Mining Integrated Project, (MMIP) at Tarkwa said the equipment has been tried and tested and can address the health and environmental impact of mercury.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempreh has hinted that government is likely to terminate the contract for the Ashaiman Community Day School in the Greater Accra Region. Speaking on the floor of Parliament in response to a question posed by the MP for the area Ernest Norgbey as to when the project will be completed, the Minister said, “the Ministry is taking steps to terminate and re-award the contract to another Contractor and have the project completed by the end of year” 2017.

According to the Minister, the project has delayed mainly due to sluggishness on the part of the contractor, adding that”…the supervising Consultant, Messrs Procurement and Project Management Limited, has recommended termination of the contract on grounds of poor performance.”

This project was awarded on contract to Messrs Mega Zillion in May 2014 under the John Mahama-led administration at a contract sum of GHS 5,376,527.22 to be completed in 18 calendar months, (November 2016), but the project is yet to be completed.

The sector Minister, told the House that, “the project is about 59% complete and the total amount paid in relation to work done so far amounts to GHS 3,222,576.27.”

In an interview later with GBCONLINE, Mr. Norgbey agreed with the position taken by the Ministry to terminate and re-award the contract on the stated grounds. He however, urged the Minister to speed up the process.

He said, his constituents, especially the youth are eager to see the School completed.

The Regional Maritime University (RMU) Ghana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Höegh LNG, a major player in the liquid natural gas (LNG) segment of the maritime industry to support capacity development for seafarers.

A statement from Höegh LNG said Quantum Power Ghana was also a party to the MoU.

Professor Elvis Nyarko, the Vice Chancellor of the Regional Maritime University, signed on behalf of the University, Oeyvind Staerk of Höegh LNG AS, the Norwegian management company of Höegh LNG, signed for Höegh LNG, while Quantum Power Ghana was represented by Mr Ruben Atekpe.

Höegh LNG intends to actively work with RMU to increase the competence of Ghanaian seafarers, RMU lecturers, pilots and tug masters to build the ability of Ghanaians to safely and efficiently operate and handle advanced gas carriers.

LNG is set to become an ever important part of Ghana’s energy mix and it is important that Ghana develops its own capacity to handle LNG installations.

Höegh LNG has a very substantial track record in building maritime LNG capacity in other countries in which it operates Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) vessels, and will draw on that experience to the benefit of Ghana once the FSRU had been deployed here.

Using a new, purpose provided by Hoegh LNG, Quantum Power intends to construct, own and operate LNG terminal facility offshore at Tema.

Höegh LNG provides floating energy solutions and operates world-wide with a leading position as owner and operator of floating LNG import terminals; floating storage and regasification units and is one of the most experienced operators of LNG carriers.

Trained teachers from the various Universities in the country are likely to be recruited into the Ghana Education Service to teach after August this year.

The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service, Rev. Jonathan Bettey made this known in an interview with EducationGhana on Monday, July 24,2017.

According to the GES PRO,Trained Teachers from the Tertiary Institutions in the country shall be recruited after the ban on recruitment has been lifted.

Speaking on when the ban on recruitment shall be lifted,the Ghana Education Service Public Relations Officer explained that the Ban shall be lifted when GES makes a request for additional Teachers after the 2017 postings which according to him will be done in August.

He emphasized that GES will consider recruitment of teachers to fill the already vacant Positions in the country after it has posted final year Teacher Trainees from the Public and some selected Private Colleges of Education in the country.

“If Ghana Education Service needed more teachers,we draw the attention of the Ministry of Education who also draws the attention of the Ministry of Finance who will release money” he said.

He pleaded with the general public most especially the University trained teachers,to remain calm as the Ghana Education Service put in all effort to get them recruited.

Source:EducationGhana.net

OPEN LETTER TO THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF GHANA EDUCATION SERVICE.
BAN ON TRANSFER AND RELEASE OF TEACHERS.

Dear Director General I want to take the opportunity to congratulate you on your new appointment as the Director General of Ghana Education Service. Since you assumed office, this will be my first official communication to you. I pray the Lord grant you the wisdom to improve the face of education in the country. I pledge my full support to championing quality education.

Please I want to draw your attention to an unfavourable policy you inherited from your predecessor, that is ” BAN ON TRANSFER AND RELEASE OF TEACHERS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES OF THE GHANA EDUCATION SERVICE”.

The policy was introduced by your predecessor and upon your assumption of duty as the new Director General, teachers expected you to bring some new ideas on board as you take away some unfavourable ones like the one above and some others.

What this policy means is that a teacher cannot seek transfer from one school to another even within the same district or release from one district to another in the same region, let alone to think about moving from one region to another. My concern is not to explain your own policy to you, but I want you to know how badly I and several others that the policy is implemented on have been affected by it.

Your policy mean to us that if you are working somewhere in the Ghana Education Service and all things turn against you, that your life is in a very dangerous situation, you must keep quiet and die in the unjust situation

Sir, truly our silence has been loud, but we cannot continue being silent to perish while something can be done. The fact remains that we are NOT comfortable with this very policy your office brought on us.

The policy restricts the Ghanaian teacher and makes him a prisoner in an open place. It has turned the teacher into a slave, the teacher now feels a stranger in his own country. The policy further opens the system to so many negative practices. It has strengthened the unfortunate practice of collecting money and other materials from teachers to grant them assurance and release. We cry day and night looking into the air, asking ourselves “When”

The 1992 constitution of Ghana, per article 24 (1) provides as follow. ” Every person has the right to work under satisfactory, safe and healthy condition and shall receive equal pay for equal work without distinction of any kind”.
The ban on transfer and release contradicts this provision in the constitution. Not only the constitution suffered this breach, but other labour laws including the Labour Act 2003, section (10). The ban also contradicts a provision in your own appointment letter given to the teacher which establishes the agreement between you and the teacher that the teacher is eligible to seek transfer or release after serving three years at his place of work.

Any teacher who seeks transfer or release will base his reason on either of the conditions stated. No normal teacher will want to leave a place he or she feels satisfied and secure for another place.

Thousands of your teachers and other workers of the service have their life threatened at their various working places and have sought for transfer, but were all denied by the Municipal Directors just because of the ban your office placed on transfer and release.

Sir, I want to appeal to your high office to take a second look at this policy and consider its harms and LIFT THE BAN with an immediate effect.

The ban has placed your teachers in a very tight conner and they struggle to free themselves, but that seems impossible. It has made them slaves and they cry day and night waiting to see you lift it to give them some relief, but they cannot tell what the future holds for them as far as the unfortunate ban is still in force. They are running out of patience. The 2016/2017 academic year is also ending. July 27, 2017 is just the final day for us to close docket on the academic year. We waited last year that the ban will be lifted for us to have some kind of freedom, and exercise our constitutional duties freely in our lawful chosen profession, but that was only in vain. We never gave up, we are still waiting this year too, but nothing seems to have changed.

May be there was no official communication to your office on how we feel about the policy, I want to officially appeal to your high office as a matter of concern to all teachers to lift the ban on transfer and release, so that the Ghanaian teacher can also work under satisfactory, safe and healthy condition and to have a sound mind and work happily.

Counting on your usual Co- Operation

Larbi Freeman
0247685825
Email: larbifreeman@yahoo.com

Teachers and other Staff of the Ghana Education Service are eligible for Transfers and releases this year,EducationGhana can authoritatively confirm.

This revelation was made by the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service Rev. Jonathan Bettey on Monday, July 24,2017 in an interview with EducationGhana.

According to the GES PRO, teachers are eligible for transfers but on certain conditions.

He stated that the main condition under which a teacher could be allowed for transfers and releases is for the teacher to forfeit his or her transfer grants.

He said that the transfer grants are monies given to teachers to help them relocate to their new locations.

Rev.Jonathan emphasized that the Ban on transfers wasn’t lifted finally due to financial difficulties faced by the Ghana Education Service and for which the teachers could not be  paid.

He explained that Transfers in the Ghana Education Service are referred to as Reposting of Teachers from one School to another .

When asked about an earlier letter by the GES which allows for transfers without grant of which directors were allowed to issue assurances letters,and a recently released letter which indicated that transfer is allowed for teachers with peculiar reasons ,citing marriage as an example, and the contradictory nature of the two letters, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service explained that both letters still hold in relation to the transfers but was quick to add that teachers are allowed to go on transfers but the regional directors as well as district directors of the regions or districts where the supposed teacher is being transferred to should be notified for them to alert them of any vacancy in that region.

He finally indicated that the transfers can be terminated if there is no such vacancy in the region of choice.

Lifting the ban means there will be payment of grants but teachers are allowed to apply for transfers and releases without grant.

Source:EducationGhana.net