The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has stated that the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, does not have the power to close pre-tertiary institutions.
According to the association, the relevant provisions of the Pre-school Education Act clearly clarifies that the management of the preschool system is the responsibility of the District and Regional Directorates of Education.
“Under section 66 of the Pre-tertiary Education Act, the Minister can give policy directives to the GES Board, so in our view it is inappropriate for the minister to make the statement in Kumasi.”
The General Secretary of GNAT, Mr. Thomas Tanko Musah, stated this in a press release published and copied to the Ghanaian Times in reaction to the alleged threat by the Minister of Education to close non-performing schools.
He said the attention of the GNAT, has been drawn to the statement by the Minister of Education challenging the Conference of Principals of Secondary Aided Schools (CHASS) and Principals of Technical and Vocational Schools and Training (TVET) institutions to improve educational results or stand at the risk of non-performing schools that have been closed down as reported by some media.
The statement stated that the Minister has no doubt that the efficient and effective management of primary and secondary schools is the responsibility of the District Education Department and the Regional Education Department and TVET take responsibility for the management of technical schools.
“Furthermore, the Minister is aware that it is the Ghana Department of Education in collaboration with the Local Government Department that ensures the County Department of Education and the Regional Department of Education carry out their mandated duties under the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049),” the statement added. .
He said the governing body of GES is the GES Board as provided under Section 10 (1) of the Pre-tertiary Education Act. The Principal is under the GES and the GES is under the GES Council.
The statement made it clear that the minister has no power to threaten or signal the closure of pre-tertiary institutions as he said, not when the Education Services Board advises, and not when the ministry does not provide for the institution. with the critical logistics needed to operate effectively.
“Doesn’t the Minister know that under his supervision, the Capitation Grant for primary schools is in arrears for two years and the arrears for Senior High Schools is more than three years? So where does the threat (challenge in his word) come from, for CHASS and Principals of TVET institutions? Mr. Minister, please come again!” added statement.
The statement called on the Minister to advise the government to consider introducing cut-off points for admission to Senior Secondary Schools, and Technical and Vocational Training Institutions as a measure to encourage students to progress academically.
The statement expressed concern about the categorization of schools and institutions into ‘A,’ ‘B,’ ‘C,’ and ‘D,’ with a procedure whereby students with higher degrees are admitted to ‘A’ and ‘B. ‘ school, others to ‘B’ and ‘C,’ and ‘close to good,’ ‘fringes’ and ‘tassels,’ sometimes with an aggregate of 45 and above to ‘D’ school and so on.
“In this arrangement and compartment, how can we expect ‘D’ grade students to do well when we have pronounced punishment on them, and schools and institutions are empty of educational logistics,” the statement said.
GNAT, therefore, calls for an overhaul of the system, and schools and institutions equipped to improve results and avoid the risk of closure.
Source: Ghanaiantimes.com.gh
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