GES and World Education improve capacity of KG teachers

Accra, June 26, GNA - The Ghana Education Service (GES), in collaboration with the World Education, has organised a day's workshop in Accra on the theme: 'Kindergarten (KG) Operational Plan Dissemination for Regional, Districts Directors and KG Coordinators.'

It was aimed at building the capacity of KG teachers in the educational sector.

World Education is a private voluntary organisation based in Boston, Massachusetts in the US with a mission to meet the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged populations through social and economic development programmes.

The event created a platform for deliberation, sharing of ideas and making an input in addressing the challenges at the KG level.

Mrs Margaret Okai, the Deputy Director, Basic Education Division of the GES said the dissemination plan contains a lot of materials, which would be useful for KG teachers in the discharge of their duties in the classroom.

The plan is currently being enhanced to be in conformity with the new trends in the field of KG teaching and would build the capacity of teachers.

'It will also support the teaching and learning of non-trained teachers by sharpening their skills,' she noted.

Mrs Okai said children are unique hence local teaching materials must be exhibited in the classroom as part of the gesture to stimulate the new thinking in the field of KG teaching.

She however called on government to add value to the infrastructural development of schools and release adequate funding to enable teachers to undergo training.

Mrs Susan Adu-Aryee, Country Director for World Education, said the plan dissemination is a quest to enable stake holders spread the core values of KG teaching to every school in the country.

She explained that the teaching and learning materials cannot be found in the districts.

She added that the KG classrooms must be upgraded into a conducive learning environment.

Dr Peter Obeng Asamoa, President of the Ghana Blind Union, called on government to make KG schools and classrooms disability friendly.

'It makes them feel a sense of belonging when such structures are inputs and are in place,' he said.

Presentations were also made by Perkins and Sabre Charitable Trust.

The project was developed by Ministry of Education and the GES with financial and technical assistance from the UK Department for International Development.

The main collaborators are development partners, universities, teachers, private practitioners, NGOs and the implementation period is from 2012 - 2017.

Twenty seven thousand teachers received transformational training to deliver the new pedagogy.

World Education was founded in 1951, has 16 field offices in Africa and Asia.

It has projects in education, health, livelihoods, HIV and AIDS, community development, clean cook and energy.

It established an office in Ghana in 2001.
GNA