Educational Challenges Must Be Addressed … Cape Vars Don Tells GNAT Forum

The Director for the Center for Continuing Education, University of Cape Coast, Prof. George K.T. Oduro says if government fails to take the necessary steps to correct negative practices militating against the continuous downwards trend of standards in pre-tertiary institutions in the country, any other efforts to promote education would remain a mirage.

 
Prof. Oduro stressed that the provision of effective supervision of teaching and learning, a well-planned professional development for teachers and head teachers, availability and accessibility of teaching and learning materials on time, well equipped libraries and other quality related provisions would help in reversing the continuous lowering standards in education at the pre-tertiary level.

 
He disclosed that statistics available in a district which he did not mention in the Central Region, suggested that during the 2011 and 2012 academic year, sixty-five maternity leaves covering three thousand, nine hundred days were granted and in the first and second terms of 2012/2013 academic year a total of 44 maternity leaves covering two thousand five hundred and forty days have already been granted in the same district.

 
Addressing delegates at the 4 th Quadrennial Volta regional Delegates' conference in Ho, Prof. Oduro noted that the days involved in the leaves granted translated into huge loss of contact hours for pupils and students  because the Ghana Education Service (GES) appeared not to have  any temporary replacement plan for teachers on maternity leave.

 
The conference which was under the theme: 'Education in Crisis- The Agenda for 2015 and Beyond' was attended by about  150 teachers and head teachers who deliberated on measures to promote education in the region.

 
Prof. Oduro pointed out that the practice of leaving classes unattended to for the mere fact that their teachers were on maternity leave posed a threat to quality teaching and learning therefore steps be taken to ensure that female teachers on maternity leave were appropriately replaced to avoid disruptions in the learning process of pupils and students.

 
He continued that Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors of Education should respond promptly to the professional development needs of teachers and head teachers in their areas of jurisdiction and support them to enable them address school level challenges affecting their performance.

 
The Prof. advised that practical steps be taken  to reverse the practice where logistics to support teaching and learning such as registers, teachers note books, exercise books, textbooks, and desks among others were hardly supplied to schools on time and at times such supplies reach the schools when the school term was almost ended.

 
Prof. Oduro also urged all stakeholders in education particularly parents to prioritize the learning needs of their wards as compared to other competing demands from work, funeral, dressing and other social engagements.

 
The General Secretary of GNAT, ,Madam Irene Duncan Adanusa stressed that  the country had to rethink about how to attract , employ, retain and reward outstanding teaching talents, provide in-service training, availability of learning and teaching materials as well as massive infrastructural development progragrammes targeting  the venerable would help promote education in the country.

 
Madam Adanusa stressed the need for  the educational system to have a paradigm shift and the education planners ought to look beyond increasing numbers in the classroom to how to promote effective teaching and learning in schools as it was key in ensuring quality education that all desired in the country.

 
She was not happy with what she described as unnecessary politicization of education in the country because the behavior does not augur well for the achievement of quality education. The Volta Regional Director of Education, Mr. Emmanuel Keteku commended GNAT for its efforts aimed at promoting education in the country hoping that the conference would come up with solutions to addressing problems confronting education in the country and in the region in particular.