GNACOPS partners Old Mutual to fund Private School Teacher Professionalism

The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Old Mutual Ghana Limited, an Insurance Company, to fund Private School Teacher Professionalism projected by I nitiated by the Council in collaboration with the University of Education, Winneba.

The Launch

At an inaugural address last Wednesday, July 7 2021, to officially launched the partnership between the council and Old Mutual Insurance Company Limited, the Executive Director of GNACOPS, Mr Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah could not hide his excitement to announce to proprietors, private school teachers, publishers and the international community about the new product and end the old saying of ‘Unqualified teachers’ (private school teachers).

Mr Gyetuah said research commissioned by the council in 2018, to determine the status of private school teachers, it was revealed that over 80% of the total number of 403, 672 private school teachers in over 22, 000 pre-tertiary private institutions across the country have not received professional academic training for recognition.

The council, therefore, signed up a policy framework known as GNACOPS Volunteer Service Scheme(GVSS) to create a sustainable career development path for untrained teachers in the private education sector.

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He said the main goals of the policy is to register and create a database, development and posting, get an educational investment fund and insurance, identify and recognise accredited tertiary institution and education programme and mainstream the successful volunteers into teaching professionals.

“This new partnership with Old Mutual Insurance Company package is in line with policy managers setting up an educational and insurance fund to provide financial bailout support for volunteers in meeting their tuition, accommodation, life insurance cover and financial demands during their training,” he stated.

Contributions

The arrangements are such that a minimum contribution of GH¢25.00 monthly would be paid by proprietors or school owners of private schools to a designated account of the scheme to support the upkeep of each scheme member of the school.

He said among the numerous financial institutions only Old Mutual understood the concept and offered to support the council in realising this dream.

The board chairman of GNACOPS, Rev. Steve Revss said the new partnership is geared towards fruitfulness and would raise the bar of private education in this country.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of Old Mutual, Mr Tavona BIza said at Old Mutual, “we don’t impose on our customers but rather we tailor our products to meet their demands.

Mr Biaz said the company has what it takes to manage and grow with GNACOPS because Old Mutual has been in operation for over 150 years and currently operating in 14 countries across the world.

The National Communication Officer of GNACOPS, Mr Samuel Nyamekye appeals to donors, non-governmental organisations, individuals to help grow the fund to cover more private school teachers across the board.

Partnership with University of Education Winneba

STARTING from September 2021, all interested private school teachers who want to end the “tag” unqualify teacher have the opportunity to do so by taking advantage of the new product been offered by the Ghana National Council of Private Schools to be trained as professional teachers by the University of Education Winneba.

The package is such that interested parties would use three semesters to acquire a Diploma certificate and 30 months to obtain a degree as a professional teacher with specialised accreditation.

Base on this new product the council needed a financial cushion looking at the salary pattern of private school teachers to enrol and become professional teachers.

The search finally ended with Old Mutual Insurance Company Limited who have a tailored service to help the council realise their vision.

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