What you need to know about NaSIA and its mandate in Ghana

    What you need to know about NaSIA and its mandate in Ghana
    The National School Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) is an agency of the Ministry of Education mandated by Parliament to provide an independent external evaluation of the quality and standards in basic and second cycle educational institutions in the country on a periodic basis.

    In 2008, the Education Act, 778 established the National School Inspectorate Authority, formerly known as National Inspectorate Board (NIB) with 3 main responsibilities:

    (a) School Inspection,
    (b) School Evaluation and
    (c) Enforce Standards.

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    School Establishment

    Question: If I have a Pre-school (Creche and Nursery) and want to establish a KG or move to the mainstream Basic school, where will I begin with the Licensing process?

     

    Answer: Schools that fall into this category will be required to start the School Establishment process as a new school.

    Question: Does NaSIA’s Approval Letter authorize me to operate my school after building the school structure?

    Answer: No, NaSIA’s approval letter only authorizes schools to build their school structure. The School Proprietor after the building has to go through NaSIA’s Licensing process to receive a Provisional License to operate the school.

    School Inspections

    Question: Is NaSIA mandated to close down schools?

    Answer: Yes, NaSIA reserves the right to close down schools after three (3) warning letters. However, NaSIA gives recommendations to schools that do not meet NaSIA’s minimum standards and carry out monitoring and evaluation inspections to ensure the schools improve by working on the recommendations.

    Question: What agency conducts Lesson Observations in Schools?

     

    Answer: NaSIA conducts Lesson Observations in Schools. NaSIA, as part of its core mandates, conducts school Performance Inspections using its Inspection Evaluation Framework (IEF) which employs Lesson Observation as a tool.

    Question: How does NaSIA communicate with Schools before they visit the school for an Inspection and does the school have to pay the Inspectors any money?

    Answer: We usually call or email the schools before our Inspectors visit. However, NaSIA can visit the school any day and time to conduct an unannounced Inspection because the law mandates us to. NaSIA Inspectors uphold professionalism at all times during school Inspections and do not accept any money, food, or water offered to them by the schools.

    Question: What measures are in place to tackle impersonation of NaSIA Inspectors.

     

    Answer: School Heads must demand an authorization letter of Inspection when NaSIA’s Inspectors come for Inspections to avoid impersonation by strangers.

    School Licensing

    Question: Is NaSIA’s Licensing process replacing the GES registration?

    Answer: Yes, the GES registration process ended in November 2019, NaSIA is mandated by the Education Regulatory Bodies Act 2020, (Act 1023) assented into law on 26th August 2020 to License all Pre-Tertiary Schools in Ghana.

     

    Question: Why is a Police Clearance report a requirement for Licensing a School?

     

    Answer: NaSIA holds School Proprietors accountable for what happens in the school, therefore is it important that NaSIA knows the background of the School Proprietor to ensure the health and safety of the Learners in the school.

    Question: What is the purpose of the Fire certificate?

    Answer: A Fire certificate is awarded to schools that have undergone basic firefighting training by the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS). This provides assurance that a basic firefighting process can be employed in the school in case of a fire outbreak before the fire service comes around.

    Question: Must Public Schools also be Licensed with NaSIA?

     

    Answer: Yes. Public schools must also be licensed with NaSIA and will go through the same licensing process just as Private Schools.

    Question: Is licensing done separately for two or more schools owned by a Proprietor?

     

    Answer: Yes. Licensing is done differently. A school Proprietor must license each school separately.

    Question: How long does it take to get a License?

     

    Answer: It usually takes two (2) weeks from the date of Inspection; however, it is dependent on when the school requests for licensing and makes the necessary payment.

    Question: What Licensing process does a proprietor have to go through if he/she wants to build a School?

     

    Answer: The proprietor must go through NaSIA’s digitized School Establishment process for Establishing a new school by visiting https://www.nasia.gov.gh/registration/sl/ and completing the three-step processes (Application for Authorization (AfA Form, Expression of Interest (EoI) Form and Notice of Intent to Operate (NoI) Form).

    Question: Does a school have to be registered with the Registrar Generals Department (RGD) before being licensed by NaSIA?

     

    Answer: Every Pre-Tertiary School must be registered with the RGD as a business before proceeding to complete NaSIA’s School Establishment and Licensing process. Schools that are not yet registered at the RGD are required to request a Letter of Introduction from NaSIA at a fee.

    Question: At what point does a School qualify for Full Licensing?

     

    Answer: After three (3) successful Provisional Licenses over a period of three (3) years, a school can qualify for a Full License after NaSIA conducts a whole school Inspection. The Full License is renewable biennially.

    Question: Why is the Licensing duration one (1) year?

     

    Answer: NaSIA is concerned about the well-being of the Learner and a lot can happen in an academic year hence the need to renew the license yearly for School Proprietors to give updates on the school management as a whole.

    Monitoring & Evaluation

    Question: Who is considered a qualified teacher?

    Answer: According to the National Teaching Council’s (NTC) law, every Teacher must have at least a Bachelor’s degree to teach at any level.

    Question: What other things does NaSIA do to ensure quality standards are enforced in Schools?

     

    Answer:

      • Monitor school-based assessments, end of course assessments and external examinations of all pre-tertiary schools in the country.
      • Publish reports and findings on the performance of public and private pre-tertiary schools.
      • Advise District Assemblies on the maintenance of highest quality academic and educational standards and guidelines.
      • Submit yearly reports on school inspections with appropriate recommendations to the Minister and the relevant institutions for the improvement of learning outcomes.
    Question: Do I get any compensation when Government absorbs my school into the Public System?

    Answer: The only compensation Government gives is to make the School Proprietor a representative on the School Board and absorbs the school 100%.

    Question: I have built a school and I would like to donate it to the Government, which of NaSIA’s Ownership Transition processes will I be taken through?

     

    Answer: An Individual or an Organization will be taken through the School Absorption process by NaSIA to donate the school building to Government.

    Legal Instruments

    Question: Was the law (Education Regulatory Bodies 2020, Act 1023) passed only for Private schools?

    Answer: No, the law – ERBA 2020 Act 1023 was passed for all Public and Private Pre-Tertiary Schools in Ghana. NaSIA licenses both Public and Private Pre-Tertiary Schools in Ghana.

    NaSIA Regional Offices

    Question: Does NaSIA have regional Offices across the country as of July 2021?

     

    Answer: NaSIA is in the process of setting up regional offices across the regions.

    Stakeholder Relationships

    Question: Is NaSIA working collaboratively with NaCCA?

    Answer: Yes, NaSIA works collaboratively with NaCCA. NaSIA regulates Pre-Tertiary Schools, and NaCCA regulates the curriculum run by Pre-Tertiary Schools.

    Is it possible for NaSIA to review its processes to include charging fees based on enrolment to ensure smaller schools pay smaller fees as compared to bigger schools?

    Act 1023 says NaSIA is to ensure the highest quality standards in all Pre-Tertiary Schools irrespective of the school size and therefore the definition for charging fees per level will not change.

    Pre-tertiary Schools

    Are schools supposed to seek authorisation from NaSIA before they can organize co-curricular activities?

    Licensed schools are at liberty to organize internal co-curricular activities. However, school Proprietors need to seek authorisation from NaSIA before they can organize external co-curricular activities like excursions.

    We will share the process of seeking authorisation to organise such activities with schools in due course.

    What will be the relationship between Private Schools and GES?
    GES is a School Proprietor of Public Schools on behalf of the Government just as Private School Proprietors. Private School Proprietors can collaborate with GES if need be. However, the licensing of Pre-Tertiary Schools is the sole responsibility of NaSIA.

    External Assessments

    Is NaSIA responsible for registering BECE and WASSCE candidates?

    Licensed schools are at liberty to organize internal co-curricular activities. However, school Proprietors need to seek authorisation from NaSIA before they can organize external co-curricular activities like excursions. We will share the process of seeking authorisation to organise such activities with schools in due course.

    What will be the relationship between Private Schools and GES?
    GES is a School Proprietor of Public Schools on behalf of the Government just as Private School Proprietors. Private School Proprietors can collaborate with GES if need be. However, the licensing of Pre-Tertiary Schools is the sole responsibility of NaSIA.

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    What you need to know about NaSIA and its mandate in Ghana | 1

     

     


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