The Director-General of Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa has revealed that for the past two or three months, about 70 district directorship positions have been vacant due to the fact that many heads refuse to upgrade themselves to the required rank which will enable them to occupy such positions. Speaking on Peace Fm’s Kokrokoo Discussion segment on 27th May 2021, He noted that many Heads remain stuck at the deputy Director rank and refuse to climb to the Deputy Director II.
“Heads at the Director II positions are those qualified to held occupy the position of District Education Director but for the past two or three months, we’ve had about 70 vacant positions with no one to occupy. Many heads who reach the rank of Deputy Director feel reluctant to climb to the Deputy Director II rank, so it is not surprising that teachers sometimes complain”, he added.
FREE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Speaking to the media, the Director-General indicated that the Free Senior High School (FSHS) has caused better than harm, hence the need to embrace it. He also debunked the perception that the Ministry of Education (MOE) in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES) exhibits a continuous defensive posture and outright dismissal of concerns raised by other stakeholders of education as far as the Free SHS policy is concerned. He also refuted the claims that the FSHS policy is the cause of the organization of extra classes for students but rather noted that extra classes have been in existence even when fees were being paid.
TEXTBOOKS AND TEACHING LEARNING MATERIALS
He also indicated that even though the methodologies employed in teaching the new curriculum have slightly been changed but the content still remains the same. He, therefore, charged teachers to make use of technology such as researching via the internet to enable them to cope with the new syllabus. He also urged teachers to revisit the old textbooks during the lesson preparation and delivery since the content has not changed. He however added that textbooks will soon be distributed as the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) is working tirelessly to approve textbooks.
TRANSFER OF TEACHERS
Professor Opoku Amankwah however debunked claims that teachers are immediately transferred to remote areas when they try to voice out their concerns and issues bothering the education system. He urged teachers to pass through the right channel to get their problems solved rather than public declarations.
