Government urges teachers not to compromise quality teaching because…

February 25, 2011
Accra, Feb. 25, GNA - Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, Education Minister, on Friday urged teachers and heads of institutions not to compromise quality teaching and learning to the detriment of Government's effort towards improving educational infrastructure nationwide.

She said quality education delivery is not only about providing infrastructure and educational materials, but more so the effective and quality teaching by teachers to pupils and students whom were supposed to be the targets of development for the over benefit of society.

Mrs Mould-Iddrisu said this when she inaugurated a three unit Junior High School Block for the Rangoon Camp "2" school near the Ghana Prison Service in Accra.

The project, initiated by the school's Parent Teacher Association, was later taken over by the Member of Parliament for La Dadekotopon, Nii Amassah Namoale, who funded it through the MP's share of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) at a cost of GH¢58,749.34.

Mrs Mould-Iddrisu said as teachers, Government knew the challenges that confronted them and added "but this is the profession you have chosen and you don't know who among the pupils will be the future President of Ghana or the Vice Chancellor and the Professor.

"Make sure the time you spend with these little children is quality time," she said and assured that Government was working hard to tackle the problems and challenges of the educational sector including making sure that, teachers got the motivation they deserved.

She said with the end of the shift system in the Metropolis, Government hoped to eliminate the phenomenon of schools-under-trees by the end of this year and noted that currently there were about 3,000 schools under trees nationwide.

Mr Alfred Vanderpuye, Accra Metro Chief Executive, announced that by the middle of March this year, sod would be cut to commence the construction of 15 new 18-classroom-blocks in the metropolis as part of Government's effort to improve educational infrastructure.

Nii Amassah Namoale, who is also the Deputy Minister in charge of Fisheries, said the initial design was to put up a Senior High School building for the Rangoon Cluster of schools in the area following a recommendation that the existing classroom blocks were not full in terms of enrollment.

He said the school's PTA approached him for assistance to build the additional block and with the full support of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, he decided to commit the MP's entire share of the GETFund.

Advising the pupils, Nii Namoale said as children they should be serious with their studies and obey their parents and teachers and quoted his favourite inscription, which read: "Knowledge will always govern ignorance."

Mrs Comfort Mary Nyoagbe, Headmistress of the Rangoon Camp "2" school described the inauguration of the block as a moment of joy and blessing because the PTA's dream of putting up the structure almost died due to lack of funds.

GNA