TMA directs schools to end shift system

By Laudia Sawer, GNA
Tema, Sept 14, GNA - Heads of public basic schools operating the shift education system in the Tema Metropolis have been directed to immediately stop the practice.

Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive, gave the directive on Tuesday during the observation of "My first day at school" programme.

Mr Odamtten said the directive was part of measures put in place by the Assembly to ensure pupils in basic schools in Tema get enough contact hours.

He indicated that going to school in the morning and closing at 12:30 hours reduced the contact hours for the children which does not help in teaching and learning.

He added that it was the wish of the Assembly that each class does not accommodate more than 45 pupils to ensure proper interaction between pupils and teachers.

Mr Odamtten therefore announced that for the first term of the 2016/2017 academic year, three of such schools doing away with the shift system would get a 12-classroom block to accommodate the large classes.

The MCE noted that his outfit would provide the needed infrastructure for the schools ending the shift system to run mainstream education.

He said some of those schools were using canopies for classrooms to enable all the children to attend mainstream school.

He encouraged the pupils to take their studies serious in order to be responsible leaders in future.

Mr Odamtten gave the assurance that the Assembly would continue to use its internally generated funds to support the funding and expansion of the School Feeding Programme in the Metropolis.

Mrs Margaret Frempong-Sore, Tema Metropolitan Education Director, expressed her joy at the initiative of the TMA to end the shift system in the Metropolis.

Mrs Frempong-Sore said the initiative would help reduce truancy in the area adding that an industrial city like Tema must not operate shift system of education.

She added that her outfit was poised to deliver the needed quality education and therefore would collaborate with the TMA to end the shift system.

The Education Director and Mr Odamtten, accompanied by other officials visited some schools in the Metropolis and interacted with pupils and parents seeking admission for their children.

They shared cups, exercise books, pencils, erasers, biscuits and drinks among other goodies to class one and kindergarten pupils.

At the Adjei-Kojo TMA Basic School, a long queue of parents and their children were seen at the premises awaiting their turn to go through the admission process.

Two classes were also being held under canopies on the compound at the time of the visit.

GNA