Headmasters in the public basic schools who fail to improve the performance of their schools within a three-year period will be demoted and not be allowed to head any other public school.
The punitive measure has been identified as part of an accountability framework designed by the Ministry of Education to improve the sense of urgency and responsibility of school heads towards the performance of students.
The initiative will be fully enforced after the implementation of a new curriculum and a National Assessment programme where ‘critical’ performance data on public schools will be collected for assessment purposes.
The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, announced this when he addressed some stakeholders in Accra on March 19, 2019, at the Edurevolution conference organised by Infoview Data Solutions.
He explained that such a measure was necessary as public schools at the basic level had for a long time underperformed, which is partially due to low sense of urgency among some heads.
Unlike the senior high schools where the old students have keen interest in the administration of the school, he said the public schools at the basic level do not have that kind of interest from old pupils.
Dr Adutwum added that the National Assessment programme would do away with the existing practice where teachers ended up being rewarded as headmasters by virtue of serving in the educational sector for a long time.
He however gave an assurance that government would prioritise its support to low-performing schools by improving infrastructure and building the capacity of teachers in ensuring that they meet their targets.
A renowned educationist, Anis Haffar, who was speaking on the topic: “The Irony of Analogue Teachers in a Digital Age” said the benchmark of quality education should be ability of students to apply knowledge acquired in serving to make life better for others.
“Based on the Aggreyean Principle, don’t tell me what you know but show me what you can do,” he stated.
He advised teachers to always be on the lookout for new ways to add value
to themselves in order to remain relevant to their profession that relies heavily on technology.
He also urged parents and teachers to develop a collegial relationship with their children in order to make learning mutual.
Source: Daily Guide
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I believe that Adutwum has seen and heard news about schools not having tables and chairs not to talk of classrooms and dilapidated buildings among others.
He better advice himself and give better and conducive conditions to all schools in the country so as to live to see a great change in the education arena.
My count…….
What punitive measures will also be given to government, directors of education, circuit supervisors and the MMDAs that fail to provide the necessary resources and infrastructure for schools? Has the government provided all the necessary resources and infrastructure to all schools in Ghana as such? Does the Ministry of Education and the GES provide and/or allow the organization of enough mock exams as it is done in the private schools? If government, MoE and GES can answer YES to all these questions then I support the idea. But if NO, then I think even the Minister who made this information known has also failed an needs demotion himself.