GES urged to intensify its supervisory role over SHSs

Story: Nana Konadu Agyeman, Koforidua
march 28
THE Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Affram Asiedu, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to intensify its supervisory role over senior high schools (SHSs) to ensure that school authorities comply with laid-down rules enshrined in the new educational reform.
According to him, contrary to approved programmes by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the GES, some heads of SHSs have been engaging in unauthorised practices by introducing their students to the elective subjects in the first year.
In an address at the 43rd anniversary and speech and prize-giving day of the New Juaben Secondary Commercial School in Koforidua, Mr Asiedu noted that such negative teaching practices had the tendency to undermine the successful implementation of the new educational reform.    
"Effective monitoring by the Education Ministry and the GES will, therefore, help to identify and put an end to such negative tendencies for the success of the new educational programme," he stated.
The theme was, "The New Education Reform — Meeting the Challenges".
According to the Regional Minister, human resource development of every nation had remained a valuable asset for its growth and development, an investment, which, he said, required proper management to meet the aspirations of its people.
 He said it was in that respect that the government had selected human resource development as one of its three key priorities, aside from good governance and private sector development, for the accelerated growth of the country.
Mr Asiedu said although the government acknowledged that the implementation of the new educational reform would have some teething problems, it had resolved to deal with demands for more infrastructure such as classrooms, workshops for technical and vocational institutions and teaching and learning materials such as books and equipment.
To this end Mr Asiedu, who acknowledged the pivotal role being played by teachers in the successful implementation of the new educational reform, urged them to be committed to their duties, since the government, for its part, was prepared to enhance their conditions of service to make the profession more attractive.
“In appreciation of the important role being played by teachers, the government expects teachers to eschew negative attitudes such as lateness to school, absenteeism and alcoholism", he stressed.
The regional minister pointed out that the government, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the GES, was organising modular and competency-based training courses for non-professional teachers to upgrade themselves as well as teacher development programmes and distance education courses for serving teachers to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge to enable them to offer quality teaching in all schools.
He also advised the students to study hard and do away with all forms of indiscipline, especially immorality, saying that such negative lifestyles could derail their future aspirations.
For his part, the Headmaster of the school, Mr Yaw Asante, said since he assumed office in 2004, the school had scored 100 per cent passes for four consecutive years.
He, however, mentioned lack of transport, boys dormitory and staff bungalows as challenges facing the school, adding that the school had only an old library structure and that this required attention.
The function was attended by a number of dignitaries including the Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Ofosu Asamoah; the New Juaben Municipal Chief Executive, Nana Adjei Boateng; the Eastern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Akosua Takyiwaa-Adu, who chaired the function, and the Adahene in New Juaben, Odeefoo Boadi Asiedu, who represented the Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre (Prof.) Oti Boateng.