The Seven Hundred and Seventy-Eighth (778) Act of Ghana was entitled Education Act, 2008.

It was an act meant to provide for the establishment of an educational system intended to produce well balanced individuals with the requisite knowledge, skills, values, aptitudes and attitudes to become functional and productive citizens for the total development and the democratic advancement of the nation, and for related matters.

It was assented on the 6th of January, 2009 and enacted by the President and Parliament.

It established the National Inspectorate Board (NIB), The National Teaching Council (NTC) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) which report directly to the minister and not to GES.

NTC is a major advisory body to the Minister of Education on matters relating to the professional standing and the status of teachers and the provision of facilities for in-service training, and the employment of teachers.
The Council is made of sixteen (16) members including two (2) representatives of Teachers Association. The Council members are however appointive by the President.

NTC is the governing authority responsible for matters relating to the licensing of teachers.

12(5) That a teacher’s license is only legal authorization for teaching.

12(7) That the legal possession of the Council’s certificate signifies that the teacher meets the knowledge and skills standards prescribed by the NTC.

13(2) That a person desiring to be registered as a teacher shall submit for approval by the Council an application in the prescribed form.

13(4d) That if that person has not passed the requisite teacher certification examination recognized by the council and does not satisfy the standards required for a teacher’s license at the level which that person has applied for certification to teach.

The Act, however, concluded with some repeals, savings and transitional provisions.

31(4) Until arrangements are made for licensing and registration of persons who are not professionally qualified as teachers, those persons shall be certified by the Council to teach.

13(5) All certified teachers in the educational system before the coming into force of this Act, shall be recognized as teachers and shall be consulted by the Council to teach until otherwise directed by the Council.

A recent presentation done by the Acting Executive Director of NTC, Dr. Mrs. Evelyn Oduro at the University of Cape Coast reveals the following:

1. That licensing and registration start with the teacher training institutions. Trainees after completion will be inducted and issued with a provisional license before full licensing. A teacher is supposed to renew his license.

2. Licensing of teachers in five pilot districts starting by September 2017.

3. Issuing of provisional license to all current final year students upon successful completion of institutional program by October, 2017.

4. Issuing of full license to provisional license teachers (newly trained) upon passing PROFICIENCY TEST by August, 2018.
(Note: All these processes are piloting)

5. Issuing of provisional license to every teacher Ghana starting from October, 2018.
It is from here that teachers are expected to take PROFICIENCY TEST before giving full license.
(This is not an examination, it could be interview or skills and knowledge test)

The overview of the program is as follows:

Phase I – Preparation, Buy-in and Sensitization.

Phase II – Begins with the registration and licensing in Pilot Districts (Starting with the newly trained teachers)

As it stands sensitization is ongoing and the piloting will begin as soon as the the trainees come out.

Phase III – Launching and Implementation

Phase IV – Evaluation by September 2019.

Source:EducationGhana.net

The 22 annual National Congress of the Teacher Trainees Association of Ghana (TTA) has revoked the decision of the Judicial Committee of the Association led by Oscar Kofi Agbo ,causing the dismissal of Paul Wonder Avorgbedor,a one time aspirant to the highest office of the National Presidency of the Association.

Wonder,after his dismissal, wrote to Congress seeking for an appeal and a consideration back to the Association’s political front.

His appeal to revoke the decision of the Judicial Committee was given a general consideration after it was put to voice voting at the National Congress held at the Komenda College of Education last weekend.

His remorse was obvious after realizing his mistakes and appealing to the National Congress which is the highest decision making body of the Association.

Though he was ‘forgiven’ for his wrong acts,the law firm calling for his arrest for claiming a legal relationship with them still insists he should face the law.

Source:EducationGhana.net

Reply to Hon. Minister of Education on his talking ministry

I have never studied government, and have no doctorate, just a common diploma holder. So my freedom of expression is going to be based on the layman’s point of view.

Everybody will agree with me that Ministers of state are appointed to perform specific tasks.

The tasks in itself are problems which needs solutions, without which there will be no need for appointing Ministers. For example, the Ministry of Regional Re-organisation is Government of Ghana ministry charged with the responsibility of supervising the creation of new regions in Ghana.

The Ministry of Education is not an exception, the minister in charge is to ensure that all challenges facing education in Ghana is brought to an end or reduced to the barest minimum.

But here comes a Minister of Education who instead of solving problems and allowing the solutions to talk for him, goes public with one-platform, one-added educational problem and that becomes the end. Some of which include;
1. French should be compulsory in basic schools without ensuring that more French teachers are trained and well equipped for that purpose.

2. Multiple Exams bodies to curb leakages with no convincing reasons.

3. *Threatens to sack headteachers who oversees poor performance in BECE* without taking into consideration the circumstances which brought about the failures.

5. Promotion of teachers no longer automatic meanwhile it has never been automatic

4. Closing time for schools to be extended to 4pm* just like that.

The specific one which prompted me to write this column is this statement recently made by the Education minister, *”Reduction in number of terms spent in schools is the cause of poor academic performance”*.

I have to quickly revisit all meta search engines to read more about Napo and I was convinced that he is no other than a square peg in a round hole

He is a medical Doctor (NB: Not a Doctor of philosophy), he has no education related degree, was a CEO of Keyedmaps Security Services Ltd. (2004-2009), a member of Royal college of physicians and surgeons of UK (1999 – 2003), served on some committees in parliament simply because he was a member of parliament, he is also a Grandson to Ex- Prez Kuffuor.

It seems the education minister needs more education tutorials than education Ministry. Someone should tell Napo for me that even if students spend 100 years in schools and closes at 12 midnight, with every teacher licensed, some students will still fail.

He shouldn’t even think of providing solutions to poor performance of students without tackling the root course of the problem.

Solutions to challenges of Education in Ghana must be initiated by Government of Ghana by training teachers, posting them to where necessary (where there are school buildings), providing TLM’s, paying teachers well and motivating them to offer their best in a community who are ready for their services.

National Inspectorate board, Education Directors, Circuit supervisors, headteachers can force the horse to the riverside but cannot force the horse to drink the water.

What does Napo expect from a teacher posted to a village which has no light, no network, poor road, has trees as classroom, no portable drinking water, and have been neglected to do?
In my case, I have been denied my arrears of about ghc8000 together with interest, i filled more than enough forms over and over again before my forms got to Accra, went to Accra so many times before I was validated, my certificate has to be audited by GES, CAGD, BNI etc for no reason and yet for about 4years now. Over 80,000 teachers are affected in this case.

Napo is performing wonders in his constituency but I fear for him as a cabinet minister. As a cabinet minister, who is part of the inner circles of the president and aids in key decision making in the country, I am not convinced that he will be of help in any way to us (teachers). He is just a minister and we are administers of Education. We stay in the sun and he stays in air-condition.

I advice him to leave that *”talking point”* aspect to the GES and co. Even if he has to talk, he should make a lot of research and consultations first. any
I rest my case but I leave the final judgement to the general public

By:Owusu Baffoe Daniel
danbaf101@gmail.com+233245144243

Source:EducationGhana.net

Thousands of polytechnic and technical university students across the country are unable to apply for jobs as they have been denied academic certificates.

Though the students have completed their three-year HND courses and served their national service, the polytechnics and the technical universities have not graduated them. The students say they have not been graduated because government has failed to constitute the governing councils for the polytechnics and the technical universities. The previous councils appointed by the John Mahama-led government were automatically dissolved on January 7 this year when his administration ended. According to the students who form the 2015/2016 academic year batch, the situation is not only affecting their employment status but also impeding their efforts to further their education. “It has been more than a year we completed school without certificates to seek for jobs or even further our education due to government’s refusal or inability to constitute the governing councils of our various institutions,” they said in a statement. The students have taken steps, including a planned demonstration on Tuesday, to push the government to act swiftly in resolving the issue. The students say they will converge at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle in Accra on September 5, to march through some streets of the capital city to “register our disappointment in the government”. According to them, all the necessary police approvals for the demonstration. “We all know how much opportunities we have missed as a result of the situation. Come and let’s fight together for our certificates,” the statement urged all affected students. DYMOG support Meanwhile the Dynamic Youth Movement of Ghana (DYMOG) has in condemning the situation has backed the students in their resolve to demonstrate. “It is highly unthinkable that in a dispensation where youth unemployment is skyrocketing, it is enormously shocking that, Government is propounding the canker that is fast depleting the hope of the Ghanaian Youth,” it said in a statement. The group observed that there exist currently a vast majority of graduates with certificates who are unemployed and their situation worsened by the current economic hardship. According to the group, the economic conditions in the country are not conducive enough in supporting start-ups while existing businesses are struggling to survive. It said if the government is unable to create jobs for the unemployed, the least it can do is “to give these graduates their certificates so they can look for jobs on their own”.

Credit: 3news.com

EducationGhana.netTeacher Trainees who shall be posted for the 2017/18 academic year to teach at the Public Basic Schools across the Country shall be given a one -year induction training before being issued their Licenses to operate.

EducationGhana has gathered that after the postings, the newly posted teacher shall be given an induction training after which they shall be called Junior teachers after the one year induction period by the new ranks in the Ghana Education Service.

Meanwhile, all practicing teachers shall be given PROVISIONAL LICENSE while on the field.

Permanent license shall be based on number of INSET one has attended, trainings or workshops and appraisal from their supervisors.
All teachers shall have personal LOG BOOKS to record number of INSET and training one has attended. This shall be signed by the training institution or the trainer.

Teachers with degrees shall be called Senior Teachers according to the ranks in the Ghana Education Service.
Source:EducationGhana.net

Stephen Kabutey Ofoi Ceasar’s bold decision follows moves by parliament to impose stricter laws against homosexuality in Ghana.

The overall hatred against the gay community in Ghana has seen most of them crawl into the closet, living a secret life.

But this scorching stigma never deterred young Ghanaian gay man, Stephen Kabutey Ofoi Ceasar from living his entire life in a civil union with his American gay lover.

Photos and videos of both gay men are starting to invade the internet as the gay couple, together with their Ghanaian and American families had a historic gay wedding somewhere in America.

YEN.com.gh is gathering that Stephen was once a school prefect at the Achimota School between 1993/1994 and also host of Smash TV, an entertainment program on Metro TV.

The civil union between Stephen and his American male lover comes on the back of Ghana moving for plans to criminalize homosexuality in the coming months if not years.

In fact, the speaker of parliament, Mike Ocquaye Jnr, has been documented lashing out at Human Rights Group – Amnesty International – who called on him to relax his stance on gay rights.

In the meantime, YEN has reported of how a group of 8 Ghanaians in Canada are seeking out signatures to pressurize government of Ghana to respect the rights of the LGBT community – a development which has seen several Ghanaians lash out at them on social media.

Being Gay comes with grave challenges with the most brutal and deadly been mob justice – a development which continues to see the LGBT community in Ghana always in hiding.

With this bold step taken by Stephen, it remains uncertain if many more gay men in Ghana could take the challenge or risk of leaving their country to live the life they so wish to live.

Credit: Yen.com.gh

The Directorate of Health Services wishes to bring the schedule below to the attention of all Fresh Students of the University of Education, Winneba:

Procedure

Each students will go through the Exercise in two (2) days.

DAY ONE

Each student will go through Step 1 – Step 6.

Step 1 – Registration

Step 2 – Laboratory Investigations

Step 3 – Ear screening

Step 4- Vital signs check

Step 5 – Chest X-ray

Step 6 – Eye screening

DAY TWO (Final Stage)

The student comes to pick up his/her lab result, and proceeds to meet the medical doctor for physical examination and declaration.

Take note and comply accordingly.

Get further details from the Clinic Administration on 0202041150

Source;EducationGhana.net

On 21st August 2017,university students across the length and breath of Ghana made their way slowly to Tamale for the annual USAG congress.

Most of them travelled at night from very far places having only the moon and stars keeping their company.In their busses, they were greeted by the wonderful savanna trees and the rising sun as it’s light crept slowly into their busses to bade them good morning. Hopes were high, expectations were great as students finally arrived at congress grounds at Tamale.

Slowly, the congress traveled to 24th of August with elections finally held on that same day. The elections were marred with some violence as hired macho men came to cause mayhem and destruction by tempering with some ballot boxes.

Interestingly, most of the ballot boxes were protected. A quick meeting was organised by the electoral commissioner with the aspirants and other stakeholders. A resolution was reached in that meeting to count the ballot papers since the scattered ballots upon careful sorting was intact; about 38 papers however were spoilt but it was unanimously agreed that counting should continue since it does not have any effect on the general outcome of the elections.

It is shocking and inconceivable when within some few minutes, the electoral commissioner who received a call was unbelievably missing when counting was supposed to continue. Several attempts to reach him on phone proved futile.

This was the very time students were feigning annoyance and waiting impatiently for the results of their preferred candidates. In any jurisprudence, there was no way the process would be halted due to the absence of the commissioner while the deputy was around. Obviously, the deputy has to assume duty; this he tacitly did. Is there anything wrong, if the president of Ghana is indisposed and the vice president have to act on his behalf? Obviously no!
In that tensed atmosphere, the counting came to a successful end and the winners declared. These we all accepted and wished the victors success as custom demands.

However, a section of students who lost the elections were displeased with the general outcome of the elections. They henceforth proceeded to court to seek justice. This is fair , just and a step in the right direction. That gives every student a sense of hope about how Ghana has come so far, as far as rule of law and democratic governance is concerned.

The judicial board paradoxically brought great imprecation upon themselves as the choose to sell justice as gold in the market. Not long ago, an audio was circulated on senators, pacesetters, NUGS CC page(2016/2017) page. A careful introspection of the said audio is the voice of the Judicial board chairman who was bargaining to collect 4,000 Ghana CEDI’s to turn the ruling in favor of one of the parties.

In that same audio, he admitted that the decision is a unanimous decision and an entrenched position of the judicial board to collect the said 4,000 Ghana cedis hook or crook before passing any verdict.
Have we come this far that we should bring such anathema upon ourselves as future leaders of Ghana? What made me almost give up the ghost is that, the entire Ghanaian community cast aspersions and ridicule similar occurrence at the national level when one Anas Aremeyaw Anas exposed Judges who sell their verdict for peanut.

One would have thought that was enough to deter anyone from imitating such happenings. Strangely enough, it is happening right in one of the most respected students front’s; The University Students Association of Ghana( USAG)

Very soon, I will get the full details of all those involved in this act for publication. We must kill the snake while it is young else great evil come upon us if it grows to master its venom.
I humbly use this opportunity to caution all those who have any intention to manipulate things in anyone’s favor to desist. As future leaders and paragons of intellectual excellence, we must endeavor to endure truthfulness, equity, fairness, probity and accountability in our societies.If we fail to protect our walls, the weapons of our enemies will fall not only on the king but upon every citizen.

Justice must and should never be sold as a commodity.

Yours in students Activism.ERIC KWAME DUMENU.

Source:EducationGhana.net

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has released date for registration of propective candidates for the 2018 Private Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The Registration is expected to take place in October 2017,of which the Examination Council has categorized qualified potential candidates eligible for registration.

The Examination Council has exempted Candidates who have been banned due to malpractice in previous exams are expected to serve the complete ban period before registering to partake in the private BECE.

The purpose of introducing the Private BECE  give the opportunity to Candidates who failed to make it into Senior High School due to poor grades to better their qualification into the Senior High Schools in the Country.

About  1,393 Candidates took part in the exams in 2017.

Candidates interested in taking part in this year’s registration should visit any internet cafe with the requisite bio-metric device when the time is due.

Source:EducationGhana.net

The West African Examination Council has given another opportunity to candidates who were not placed in any of the public Senior High Schools to select schools of their choice.

Candidates who were not able to go through the Process successfully are expected to go through the following guidelines systematically:

1. Visit www.myjhsresult.net or www.cssps.gov.gh.com

2.Log in with your index number and Pin Code

3.Click on Check Placement Status

4.Since You Haven’t been Placed,you will find a link to Self-placement

5. Click on the self-placement link
6. On the new tab, select your preferred region
7. Select your preferred school
8. Select your program of choice
9. Click on the submit button to place yourself
10. Proceed to print your placement notice.

Source:EducationGhana.net

The Ghana Education Service has released two contact numbers  to help address the various challenges 2017 BECE candidates are having in checking for their placement.

The release of the contact numbers has become very necessary after the Education Service was served with complaints in relation to the placement process.

Majority of Candidates found it difficult accessing the  placement website, myjhsresult.net.

Others also had access to the website but could not be able to print the placement forms.

Candidates having various problems in checking their placement have been advised to call 0302 747 778 or send a WhatsApp message to the number 0207 407 499 .

Source:EducationGhana.net

The University of Cape Coast has released the List of Successful Candidates for the 2017/18 Academic Year.

Education students are to pay their fees at either GCB Bank or Agricultural Development Bank as specified in theur admission letters.

Business students are expected to pay their fees at either Barclays Bank or Prudential Bank as specified in their admission letters.

Succesful Candidates are advised to follow instructions on their admission letters to avoid any wrong payment or to avoid any inconveniences.

Date of Orientation for fresh students is 7th October, 2017 and also deadline for payment of fees is 15th September, 2017.

Candidates can check their Status and Print Their Admission Letters Here

Source:EducationGhana.net

The management of the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) and the Ministry of Education have Launched a new website to for checking of BECE 2017 Senior High School Placements.

The. Launch of the   new website has become very necessary after management realized the challenges being faced by candidates while checking their placements.

Management made a public notice indicating their receipts of numerous complaints about problems being encountered using the myjhsresult.net .

According to the statement, the Education Ministry apologized to parents,guardians and candidates who were in one way or the other affected by the challenges created by the previous website.

The ministry has also extended Placement deadline to midnight 7th of September 2017.
Help line 0302747778
Watsapp 0207407499

Click here to visit the new BECE-SHS placement website

Source:EducationGhana.net

Students who fails in English and Mathematics in the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) will not be placed in any Senior High School (SHS).
The National Coordinator of the Computerized School Selection and Placement System, (CSSPS), Mark Sasu-Mensah revealed that, obtaining 9 which is fail in both subjects automatically disqualifies the student. 

Barely 24 hours after the Ghana Education Service (GES) announced that it had released the placements for students who took the 2017 BECE, the website set up for parents and their wards to check their Senior High School (SHS) admissions list suffered technical hitches.

Persons seeking to access the website were greeted with error notices or secured access after several attempts.

According to some prospective SHS students, the situation has created a lot of inconvenience for them as they have to make regular visits to internet cafes to try to access their placements online.

Others who have not been placed yet are also frustrated they have to beat a 48-hour deadline given by the GES to make their preferred choice of school from options provided on the website.

But Mark Sasu-Mensah on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem Tuesday said, all the challenges faced has been resolved. 

He indicated that, students who have not been placed in any school should go to Cssps.gov.gh to pick a school of their choice.

The CSSPS National Coordinator appealed to parents and students not to panic because they are working around the clock to resolve the situation.

Mark Sasu-Mensah said the despite the challenges being experienced, he is optimistic the academic calendar will not be negatively affected.

Source: adomonline.com

We’ve not received Free SHS funds – CHASS

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has revealed that the various senior high schools across the country have not received funds for the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme.

The government promised to make 20 per cent of the funds for the implementation of the programme available to the schools before the start of the programme.

But the General Secretary of CHASS, Samuel Gyebi Yeboah, told Chief Jerry Forson, host of Accra FM’s Ghana Yensom on Tuesday, September 5 that: “Although the Free SHS is starting this September we haven’t received the funds yet.

“We are however optimistic that the government will release the funds to the various senior high school schools across the country.”

Government has announced that the Free SHS programme will start in September with the first year students in all the high schools in the country.

Addressing the press on Monday, September 4, Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, called on parents not to pay any fees demanded by heads of senior high schools since the government is taking care of all such expenses.

“Students are not supposed to pay any fees,” he said, adding, “As a matter of fact, PTA-levied fees like utilities, development levy, and even teacher motivation is going to be paid by the government, as a result, we’ve made it abundantly clear to headmasters that money should not be the reason why a student should not go to school. Therefore no parent should receive a bill.”

Dr Adutwum added: “Even if PTA meets and decides in consultation with GES that there is something they want to do and they want parents to contribute, it will not be mandatory. If Mr Kojo Mensah doesn’t have money to make that contribution for his ward, the student will not be prevented from going to school.”

The Ghana National Union of Technical Students (GNUTS), formerly, Ghana National Union of Polytechnic Students (GNUPS) is utterly disappointed in the failure of government to put up the governing Councils of the various Technical Universities and Polytechnics in the country.
The union has followed this issue for more than three months now but government keeps failing to put up these councils. It is obvious that, government is not interested in the welfare of Technical University and Polytechnic students. The absence of the governing councils which significantly hampers the smooth operations of technical universities is enough evidence to prove our case of government’s disinterest in technical education.

Students who have successfully completed their programmes of study for a year now; have no certificates due to the inability of these institutions to organise graduation ceremonies to award certificates. This, of course, is as result of the absence of a governing councils, that have the mandate to ratify certificates.

The fate of these innocent students remains in limbo while authorities sit unconcerned. This is absolutely unacceptable and we demand that the right thing must be done as immediate as possible. It is also worthy of note that, a lot of these graduates have successfully completed their mandatory national service and still have no certificates to either look for jobs or further their education. This has created an unfair competition between Technical University/Polytechnic graduates and traditional university graduates with the latter having advantage in the search for jobs and other opportunities over we technical university graduates.

It would be recalled that sometime on 2 May 2017, we petitioned the Ministry of Education and copied the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) to as a matter of urgency, facilitate the formation of the governing Councils of the Technical Universities and Polytechnics. This was followed with a series actions including the issuing of a two-week ultimatum to government to do the needful. We regret to say that till now, we have received no positive response from government. A clear bias and academic discrimination on the part of government manifested when councils for traditional universities were constituted and inaugurated around the same time with reckless abandonment of technical universities and polytechnics.

In view of the foregoing, the Ghana National Union of Technical Students (GNUTS) is by this release; declaring a nationwide strike in all technical universities and polytechnics. Students are to until government constitutes the councils, boycott lectures. Various SRCs are further expected to hang red flags on various campuses in preparation towards a mammoth nationwide demonstration on 5th September, 2017 against the indifferent posture of government towards technical education.

Long live Ghana
Long live technical education
………Signed……..

Abdul Rahaman Ibrahim
(Coordinating Secretary)
0540853931

Andrews Obeng Twumasi
(Public Relations Officer)
0244476924

Source:EducationGhana.net

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has donated GH¢50,000 towards educating the children of the late Major Maxwell Mahama.

The money was presented to the family when they paid a courtesy call on the Asantehene at the Manhyia Palace will be used to fund the education of the two children of the late Major Mahama.

During the interaction, the Otumfuo desccribed the departed soldier as a gentle person who dedicated his life to serving the nation.

The late Major Maxwell Mahama with his family

The Mahama family delegation that visited the Otumfuo included the family head of Major Mahama, his father and widow, Barbara Mahama.

The late Major Mahama was given a state burial on June 9, 2017 after he was lynched by some residents of Denkyira Obuasi. He left behind a wife and two boys.

The picture is painted from the top to show that some subjects are very much more important than others. Before a teacher is qualified for study leave with pay, then that teacher is going to study the ‘almighty’ Mathematics, a science program, the languages, Special Needs education or the new kid on the block Computer Science.

Apart from any of these programs, one will not get study leave with pay. So among the teaching fraternity, there is much regard for some subject teachers than others. Teachers teaching subjects like Mathematics, Science, English and Information and Communication Technology in the basic schools tend to look down on other teachers teaching other subjects.

They talk ill about subjects like Social Studies, Religious and Moral Education, Physical Education, Catering among others even to students they are teaching.

This situation is forcing teachers who wish to further their education and upgrade their knowledge in the universities, apply and study programs they do not have the background, interest and even the competence to teach.

Some universities in Ghana offer teachers with Diploma in Basic Education the opportunity to further their studies in programs like B.Ed Mathematics, B.Ed Social Studies, B.Ed Accounting, B.Ed Computer Science,B.Ed English Language among others. Because of the preferential treatment given to some teachers teaching some subjects, most teachers are studying programs just for the certificate.

After all, having the certificate will earn you that respect from colleagues and the society. For instance, someone who studied Home Economics at the Senior Secondary/High School, continued with Early Childhood Education at the College of Education will now be studying B.Ed Mathematics at the university because of the attitude of education officers and some teachers towards the teaching of some subjects and classes like the kindergarten.

This teacher graduates with a certificate in Mathematics education but cannot teach the subject at the Senior High School and even at the Junior High School. Students will be suffering at the long run.

Teachers are on some post diploma programs just because of the ‘marketability’ of the subjects. Teachers do not take into consideration their interest, background and the competency to teach the subject. Even society tend to show more respect to teachers teaching subjects like Mathematics and English Language because they deem it as ‘difficult’.

It becomes worse for the one teaching at the kindergarten. To earn this respect makes some teachers enrol in some programs. For some too, they do it because friends are doing it. Others too, they just want to teach at the Senior High School or avoid going to the primary school.

Teachers teaching English Language, Mathematics and Integrated Science are deemed the most important assets in schools. If a subject is not relevant why not take it off the table. Each subject has it role and requires qualified and competent teachers in that area of study to teach it but it is made as if any teacher can teach Social Studies and any other subject apart from English, Maths and Science.

A subject like Religious and Moral Education helps develop religious tolerance among pupils which in the long run helps promote and sustain the country’s peace and unity. You cannot place anybody there to teach it for fear of indoctrination and religious conditioning.

Take Social Studies, it will be different reading and explaining terms for students from guiding them appreciate and demonstrate the relevant knowledge, desired attitudes and values needed for the development of the individual, community and country.

Visual Arts and Home Economics also help develop students’ aptitude and psycho motor skills but look at how some teachers treat students on such programs. If we treat all subjects with respect, the subject teachers will also enjoy same respect and opportunities.

English, Mathematics and Science are not the only subjects on the timetable. The system is partly to be blamed for this. Why honour certain subjects above others? Give teachers equal opportunity to upgrade themselves. Study leave with pay should not be dependent on the subject one teaches. Each and every subject is important.

Other subject teachers should not be enjoying incentives and preferential treatment whiles others do not. Currently, granting of a teacher’s transfer request to another school is dependent on the teaching of Mathematics, Science and ICT as if anyone can teach the rest of the subjects. Associations are being formed for only English, Maths and Science teachers.

Textbooks supplied are only for English, Maths and Science. National quiz competitions are in these subjects. What picture are we painting to students? Some teachers make students studying Home Economics, Visual Arts, and Technical among others, feel as if the subjects they are studying are irrelevant.

We need a change in attitude towards some subjects. It is because they are important that is why they are still on the timetable. Let us accord each with the needed respect.

Okota-Wilson Nicholas 233 541 55 68 58

okotakwame7@gmail.com

Source:EducationGhana.net

University of Education, Winneba, in collaboration with African Development Bank (AfDB), Government of Ghana (GoG) through Ministry of Education (MoE) and Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) has successfully trained the first batch of Diploma in Education (CBT Option) in Ghana.

We hereby inform the 2017 Graduands of the University of Education, Winneba and the general public that the first graduation for the award of Diploma in Education (CBT Option) of the Centre for Competency-Based Training and Research (CCBTR) certificate would be held as follows:

Date: Saturday, September 16, 2017

Venue: Forecourt (Old Auditorium) Kumasi Campus

Time: 8:30 am

Registration Procedure:

Graduands who wish to be presented should do the following:

Graduands should Click here  and provide the details required for registration.

Closing date for registration Tuesday, September 12, 2017.

Graduands should report early and check their seat numbers while they observe seating arrangement at the congregation venue.