Teachers Closing At 2pm Is Illegal—Former GES Director General

Former Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Mr. Michael Nsowah Agyei, has said that it is illegal for teachers closing at 2pm.

Speaking on the Space FM Morning Flight 877 hosted by Kwadwo Owusu –Ansah, he pointed out that teachers are part of public servants who are supposed to close at 5 pm as mandated by law.

Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has proposed the extension of closing time for basic from 2pm to 4pm.

The Minister has subsequently tasked the National Council for Curriculum Assessment to consider the proposal.

According to the minister, the current closing time of 2pm for most schools is not favorable for some parents and guardians because, they are compelled to leave work to go for their children.

Mr. Nsowah Agyei said the education minister said nothing different from the laws in this country which says working hours starts from 8am and end at 5pm.

The former education director said “there is no law in this country which permits some staff of GES to close at 2pm, whiles others also should close at 5pm”.

The former director general of GES stated that some people in the country are ignorant of the laws governing the teaching profession.

He wondered why some office staff of the GES and the Ministry of Education close at 2pm whiles others close at 5pm.

He explained it was the 1987 Educational Reforms which made teachers rest at 2pm, but that was for a particular.

The retired educationalist said, that educational reforms also made it mandatory for teachers to use that period to also mark the pupils exercise, prepare their notes for the following day and also go to library to study, but it was not time for them to close from school as it is happening today.

Mr. Nsowah Agyei said it would be unwise for anybody to fight the education minister’s proposal because “teachers are not different from other government workers who close at 5pm”

He asked the public who are joining the debate not to expose their ignorance but rather seek for further understanding of the proposal.

Mr. Nsowah Agyei said because education is a total development, some activities which are not to be taught in the classroom could be designed and reserved for the children from 2pm to 4pm.

“Closing at 4pm he said cannot have any negative effect on the educational performance of the children if the education minister proposal is accepted by the National Council for Curriculum Assessment”, he concluded.