President John Mahama has marked World Teachers’ Day, congratulating the Education ministry for its aggressive efforts to stamp out teacher absenteeism in public schools.
“I am happy to note that after three years of zero tolerance for teacher absenteeism, the rate declined from 27 percent in 2012 to 11 percent in 2014.
“In 2015, it declined further to 9 percent…in 2016 it has come down to 7 percent,” he said at the national durbar held at the Jubilee Park in Brong Ahafo regional capital Sunyani,” he said.
October 5 has been set aside to celebrate the teacher whose immense contribution to national development can hardly be ignored.
The theme for this year’s celebration “Valuing Teachers, Improving their Status” is meant to highlight the decline in teacher status and conditions of service over the last few years.
Applauding the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Education ministry, President Mahama said unannounced visits to public schools by a resourced inspectorate board has worked in reducing the practice.
The president also reported that more teachers are demonstrating their professionalism by teaching with well-prepared lesson notes in accordance with the syllabus.
According to him, by 2013/2014 academic year, the proportion of teachers who possess and use well-prepared lessons notes vetted by school heads stood at 55.3.
“I am happy to note that this figure increased to 69 percent,” in the 2015/2016 academic year, he said and urged stakeholders to work and improve the rate of preparedness.
A day before the celebration, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) expressed worry about the “unfortunate” decline in teacher status and conditions over the last few years.
In a communique, the Association complained about sub-standard teacher preparation programmes and recruitment of unqualified personnel, infringements on academic freedom and professional autonomy.
It also listed problems such as serious violations of teachers’ human and Trade Union Rights and poor salaries and working conditions.
The Association’s acting president, Phillipa Larsen, also touched on a vexed issue in the education sector – teacher trainee allowance which was scrapped by government.
Government has explained that the removal of the allowance which has was to improve access to teacher training colleges. ?It was inhibited in admitting greater number of applicants to these colleges because it had to also pay them the allowance.
But with the removal, more students are expected to gain admission. They are also to fund their education by opting for a loan from the Student Loan Trust Scheme.
In a related development government has announced the suspension of its decision to scrap teacher training allowance.
But disapproving of the move, Phillipa Larsen said the policy has resulted in only a “marginal” increase in enrolment in the Colleges of Education. Scrapping the allowance “is our view….counter-productive”.
Touching on GNAT’s contribution towards improving teaching and learning, the ag. President Phillipa Larsen said 1,282 teachers benefitted from in-service training programme held at the Wesley College in the Ashanti Region, Ghana Senior High School in Koforidua in the Eastern Region and the St. Francis College in Hohoe in the Volta Region.
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