Parliament demands action against institutions flouting GES directive

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Parliament is demanding disciplinary action against heads of educational institutions who do not allow pregnant female students to write examinations.

They are asking the Education and the Children, Gender and Social Protection ministries to investigate reported cases and sanction such heads of institutions.

The issue was raised in Parliament by Member of Parliament (MP) for Ledzokuku, Benita Sena Okiti-Duah, on Tuesday June 18, when she presented a statement to mark the International Day of the African Child, which fell on Sunday June 16.

The day which was initiated by the African Union (AU) in 1991, honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976, and raises awareness of the need for improvement of the education provided to African children.

MPs who contributed their views on the statement said it was wrong for heads of institutions to prevent pregnant candidates from taking part in any examinations.

MP for Wa West, Mr. Joseph Yieleh Chireh said since the Ministry of Education has come out with a directive for institutions to allow pregnant candidates to take part in examinations, heads of institutions flouting the directive must be brought to book.

In a related development, Principal of St. Monica's College of Education at Asante Mampong, in the Ashanti region has denied claims the school has barred five of its students from writing their impending final examinations in July because they are pregnant.

The Principal, Christiana Sobotie, explains the school only suggested to the pregnant students to defer their courses because of their health condition and return later after delivery and nursing.

The Principal had earlier been quoted on various media platforms as saying “the decision of the college [to prevent pregnant candidates from taking the exams] is guided by rules and regulations stipulated by the Teacher Education Division Manual for Teacher Trainees on school attachment provided by GES [Ghana Education Service]”.

But in a sharp rebuttal, Mrs. Sobotie has denied media reports implying that the school prevented students from taking the exams. According her, the reports are false.

She told Joy News the students may be allowed to write the exams on condition that they complete their project work and “on-campus teaching practice”. She added that on “humanitarian grounds” the school may allow the students to take the exams.

“But writing the exams does not guarantee they [pregnant candidates] have completed the three-year programme. They will still have to come in again at a later date to complete a project work and on-campus teaching practice before they are certified”, she stressed.

She said the school and other policy makers are also considering reviewing the school's code of conduct.