Falling Standards in Education need pragmatic approach

Gomoa Ekwamkrom (C/R), March 22, GNA - Nana Kofi Otoo, Proprietor of Royal Academy Junior Secondary School has stated that the falling standards in education in public schools needs a holistic approach to tackle the issue once and for all.

He said it also needs leaders, who are dynamic and powerful to take bold and giant steps to solve problems confronting public schools. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Gomoa Ekwamkrom near Agona Swedru, about the performance of both public and private schools, Nana Otoo pointed out that no single person can be solely responsible for the problem of falling standards in education, since it needs all stakeholders to look at the issue.

Nana Otoo pointed out that unless teachers and directors in public schools have the welfare of the nation at heart, they cannot manage schools effectively to remove that obstacle.

The Proprietor stressed that the Supervision Directorate of the Ghana Education Service should be strengthened to ensure effective supervision of schools.

He noted that part of the problem must go to parents, even though teachers are blamed when students performance poorly in examinations, because parents spend more hours with their children at home, and should be able to take good care of them.

Nana Otoo said teachers should not be blamed outright, because they are faced with numerous problems, such as accommodation, transportation and other social issues, which make it difficult for them to live up to expectation.

He said the recent publication of the results of Senior Secondary Schools Examinations has made some of the headmasters and tutors to sit up.

Nana Otoo therefore, commended the Minister of Education Youth and Sports for taking that bold initiative.

The Proprietor said children should also show keen interest in their studies.

He praised the government for taking the bold initiative to tackle numerous problems facing education in the country, and appealed to all stakeholders to complement government's efforts to help find a lasting solution to problems confronting the country's education.

Nana Otoo announced that out of a total of 25 candidates representing the first batch of students presented by Royal Academy for the senior secondary school certificate examinations students, 12 of them qualified for University and other tertiary institutions.