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Tag: GES

  • Removal of GES boss disappointing – NAGRAT

    The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) is worried about the President’s dismissal of Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa as Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    NAGRAT said the development is not only surprising but also has left members of the association with overwhelming disappointment.

    “This is very disappointing. We are surprised because we had someone who was able to build a very positive relationship and rapport with the union”, said NAGRAT President, Angel Carbonu.

    Prof. Opoku-Amankwa was relieved of his position in a letter dated Monday, October 17, 2022, because his services were no longer needed, according to a statement from the Presidency.

    Having been appointed in April 2017, specific reference was made to his secondment in January 2021 from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

    The contract was extended again in June 2021, but this extension according to the letter was in “contravention of the Human Resource Policy Frame and Manual of the Public Services Commission, as it purports to extend your secondment beyond the 3-year maximum limit.”

    NAGRAT believes the termination of Prof. Opoku-Amankwa’s appointment will affect critical decisions concerning better conditions of service for teachers.

    “A lot of our discussions with him had reached advanced stages. So for this termination to come at this time, I think there is someone at the Jubilee House who is not aware of the work going on at the GES. As far as I am concerned, this controversial termination is going to affect us.”

    When asked about his expectation of a new Director-General for the GES, Angel Carbonu said he does not expect the next appointee to be a political party operative.

    “I expect the new Director-General to be someone who has gone through the mill of the GES, risen through the ranks and understands the intricacies of the service. I also expect someone who will extricate himself from the political party that appoints him and sees himself as professional and not a party operative by opening his doors to the union in addressing issues”, he suggested.

    Meanwhile, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa has been instructed to return to the KNUST.

    Source: citinewsroom

     

     

  • Reactions from Bolgatanga as GES approves Gurune to be taught in basic schools

    Not long ago, the Ghana Education Service (GES), through the National Council for Curriculum Assessment, approved 11 local languages to be taught at the basic level in schools.

    Gurune, which is spoken by the Frafra people in the Upper East Region, happened to be one of these approved languages.

    GhanaWeb’s Upper East Regional Correspondent, Sarah Dubure, engaged a section of Frafras in Bolgatanga to gather their thoughts regarding the initiative.

    Madam Martha intimated that the directive is an opportunity for most children to learn Gurune since most parents speak English to their children.

    “Our children don’t understand our language, especially when they are in school. Now that they want to introduce it in the schools, it will help them to understand it better,” she said.

    She added that the initiative would increase the children’s understanding of the Gurune language.

    Mr. Richard, who works with a Child Rights Organization, expressed disappointment that some parents were in the habit of speaking English to their children instead of their native language, Gurune.

    “I’m so much disappointed in some parents in the sense that we have Gurune speaking people who are supposed to nurture and teach their children how to speak the language, rather speak English to them. These children will go to school and learn the English language,” he pointed.

    A teacher, Mr. Junior Faith, expressed the hope that the initiative would help the children learn more about their cultural practices.

    “It will enlighten the kids to know more about their culture – farming, funeral performance, marriage -. The children are amazed; they don’t know how we are able to pass all that from generation to generation,” he told the media

    Madam Vivian Nyaaba expressed excitement for the initiative and recounted how they had attempted to establish a similar policy when they were students, but it was abandoned soon after being introduced.

    She noted that if the directive is implemented with seriousness, it will go a long way towards helping most of the pupils at school.

    According to her, though she dropped out of school many years ago, anytime someone mentioned a word, she applied the consonant and vowel sounds which aided her in spelling the words.

    She noted with worry that most students in recent times had issues in spelling words.

    She expressed the hope that the policy, when implemented, would go a long way in helping the children overcome this deficit.

     

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Deputy Director-General of GES receives one-year service extension

    President Akufo-Addo has extended the contract of service of the Deputy Director-General (Management Services) of the Ghana Education Service, Anthony Boateng for a year.

     A press statement dated August 19, 2022, signed by the Secretary to President Nana Bediatuo Asante, disclosed that the service extension will begin on August 17, 2022, and end on August 16, 2023. 

    “I am pleased to inform you that the President of the Republic has granted you a further one-year contract of service as Deputy Director-General (Management Services) of the Ghana Education Service, effective 17th August 2022 to 16th August 2023.”

    Mr. Anthony Boateng will continue to execute his mandate and assist in the development of the National Education Institute as approved by the cabinet.

    The extension of the retirement service follows a request from the office of the Minister of Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum to the Office of the President.

    This is the second time his appointment is being extended. On 2nd August 2021, the office of the President granted him a one-year extension.

    Mr Boateng has served in various capacities until his current appointment as; Assistant Secretary at the GES Council Deputy Secretary, GES Council, Ag. Secretary, GES Council, Head of the Legal Unit of GES, Director for HRMD and Director for Special Education.

     

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • Academic calendar for pre-tertiary institutions remains unchanged GES

    The Ghana Education Service, GES, is reminding all schools and the public that the basic schools’ academic calendar released in March has not changed.

    According to the calendar, vacation for this second term begins on the 11th of August while the third term will begin from the 13th of September to the 15th of December.

    Additionally, the contact hours are from 7 am to 2 pm or 7.30 am to 2.30 pm or 8 am to 3 pm depending on the particular circumstances of the communities. Metropolitan, Municipal and District Directors are to ensure that these guidelines are adhered to.

    Meanwhile, the Director General of the GES, Prof. Kwesi Opoku-Amankwa maintains that the recent strike by teacher unions has not impacted the calendar significantly.

    He said as part of measures put in place to ensure that the lost time during the strike is recovered, regional and district directors have been instructed to liaise with the various school heads to put some interventions in place for the pupils. According to him, one of the key interventions will be extra classes.

    Prof. Opoku-Amankwa indicated that all teachers have resumed fully and urged parents whose wards are yet to return to school to ensure that they go back immediately.

    Source: gbcghanaonline.com

  • GES to meet leadership of striking teacher unions on Wednesday

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) is expected to meet with the leadership of the four teacher unions which have declared a strike action over the non-payment of their Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).

    Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, Kwesi Kwarteng in an interview with JoyNews on Tuesday said the meeting will “develop a roadmap and engage on how to bring this issue to an end.”

    “We hope that by the close of tomorrow [Wednesday] some progress would have been made,” he told Emefa Apawu on Newsnight.

    Mr. Kwarteng is optimistic that the various stakeholders involved would show commitment and goodwill to resolve the impasse.

    Responding to calls by the Minority for schools to be shut down due to the strike action, he noted that the GES directive for schools to remain open despite the industrial action is the best interim solution.

    “We know there is a problem and we know there has to be a decision that ought to be made…In the interim, this takes very good care of these children while we look at an immediate resolution of the strike action which is just tomorrow. That is even with regards to the schools that are operating the boarding system in the SHS schools.

    “If you come to the basic level that is the primary schools to the JHS level, we could not have shut down the schools because it is possible that some parents did not even know and the temptation to take their wards to school will be high,” he stated.

    Background

    Four teacher unions on Monday, July 4 declared an indefinite nationwide strike over demands for the payment of Cost of Living Allowance (COLA).

    The unions, comprising the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT), are demanding that 20% of their basic salary be paid to them.

    “We can no longer bear the hardship. Even more so, we reject the inequality of salaries in the public services of this country. We have been compelled under the current circumstances to publicly communicate to Ghanaians on our intention to go on strike, having gone past the June 30, 2022 deadline [that] we gave government for the payment of the Cost of Living Allowance.

    “Consequently, we have decided to embark on a strike action effective today, Monday, July 4, 2022. By this, we are informing the general public that we are withdrawing all our services in all the pre-tertiary education space this includes teaching and non-teaching staff,” the teachers announced.

  • GES releases results of 2021 promotion test

    Some 26,954 candidates representing 67.5 per cent were successful out of the 39,918 candidates who were shortlisted for the December 2021 promotion test to various teaching grades within the Ghana Education Service (GES).

    This was contained in a statement released by the GES.

    The promotion test was written for the grades including Deputy Director, Assistant Director I, Assistant Director II and Principal Superintendent.

    Out of the 3,538 candidates who took the test for the, Deputy Director grade, 2,330, representing 65.8 per cent passed.

    Also, 7,785 representing 71 per cent out of the 10,950 candidates who took the test passed for the Assistant Director grade.

    For the Principal Superintendent grade, 2,298 representing 69 per cent were successful, out of the 3,329 candidates, who were shortlisted for the test.

    “Formal promotion letters will be released in due course,” the GES revealed in the statement.

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Basic schools to end first term April 7 GES

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has reminded heads of public basic institutions of the scheduled calendar for the 2022 academic year.

    According to the GES, heads of basic schools are to take note of the calendar and “implement accordingly.”

    In a statement issued by its Deputy Director-General, Mr Kwabena Bempah-Tandoh on Tuesday, 22 March 2022, the GES stated the calendar for the year as follows:

    “First term 18 January 2022 to 7 April 2022, Second term 10 May 2022 to 11 August 2022, Third term 13 September 2022 to 15 December 2022.”

    It also reminded heads of schools of the contact hours being from “7am to 2pm, 7.30 to 2.30pm and 8am 3pm.”

    Source: classfmonline.com

  • Exams malpractice should be a criminal offence – Former GES Director proposes

    As part of the efforts to curb examination malpractices and leakages, the former Director for Ghana Education Service, Charles Aheto Tsegah, has proposed a review of punishment given to offenders.

    According to him, examination malpractice should be no longer be considered as a misdemeanour but rather a criminal offence.

    Speaking at the launch of the Eduwactch 2021 WASSCE Ghana monitoring report, Charles Aheto Tsegah, said there is a need for culprits to be prosecuted when engaging in exams malpractice. He believes this will deter people from engaging in these activities.

    “Our sanctions for examination malpractices are all misdemeanours but let’s move it from that and make a criminal act such that individuals who are caught or implicated in examination malpractice will face the law based on criminal action. We need that to be able to strengthen the punishment,” he said.

    His comment follows recent leakages and exam malpractices that have been reported in the past two years.

    A report by Eduwatch revealed that about 11 papers out of 20 papers were leaked in the 2021 WASSCE.

    Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch) has also revealed how multi-million businesses enterprises were established just to leak question papers from uncertain sources.

    These platforms are marketed to students, teachers, and school owners using a social media platform, Telegram.

    Eduwatch, as part of the investigation, subscribed to over 20 platforms with a combined subscribership of over 200,000 members with questions sold for between GHC30 and GHC150 per paper.

    “Elective mathematics was the highest priced question, these payments were made via mobile money after which the team got enrolled on paid platforms where questions were delivered up to ten hours before the paper,” Eduwatch report indicated.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • GES promotes award-winning teachers

    The management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has promoted four Best Teacher Award winners for their outstanding performance in teaching and learning leading to the development of education in the country.

    Each of the teachers was promoted from their current rank to the next rank ahead of them as a means of motivating them and encouraging other teachers to appreciate the need to work hard.

    Three of those promoted were teachers who won awards at last year’s Ghana Teachers Prize while the other one was the winner of last year’s edition of the African Union Best Teacher award.

    Awardees

    The four teachers; Miss Gloria Anima Junior, a teacher at Aboabo No. 4 Presby Primary in the Dormaa Municipality in the Bono Region, was promoted out of turn to the grade of Assistant Director I from Assistant Director II.

    She was the 1st runner-up for the 2020 Ghana Teacher Prize award.

    Miss Sandra Osei, a teacher at Akwatia Technical Institute in the Denkyembour district in the Eastern Region, was also promoted out of turn to the grade of Assistant Director I from Assistant Director II. She was also the 2nd runner-up for the 2020 Ghana Teacher Prize award.

    Mr Eric Asamoah Asante, who was the 2020 Best Teacher at the Ghana Teacher Prize and a teacher at Naylor SDA Basic School in Tema in the Greater Accra Region, was also promoted out of turn to Assistant Director I.

    The 2020 African Union Best Teacher, Miss Theodosia Larkai Oppong, a teacher at the Aburi Girl’s Senior High School in the Akuapem South District in the Eastern Region, has also been promoted out of turn to the grade of Deputy Director from Assistant Director I.

    The news about their promotions was contained in promotion letters to the four teachers dated September 28, 2021 and signed by the Director-General of the GES, Prof. Kwasi Opoku Amankwa.

    Briefing

    The Deputy Director-General, GES, Mr Anthony Boateng, briefing the media about the promotions, stated that the gesture was a sign of appreciation by the GES to the teachers for their dedication to the service leading to the attainment of such feats.

    He hinted plans by the GES management to make the promotion of the Ghana Teacher Prize winners a regular feature to boost the morale of all teachers to strive to win any of such awards.

    Background

    The promotion of teachers in the pre-tertiary level in the country is done after the teachers have spent at least four years after the last promotion before qualifying for the next rank.

    After qualifying for the next rank, the teacher applies for promotion and is offered the opportunity to be assessed by the GES before being promoted to the next rank.

    With the promotion of these four teachers, the GES decided to use what is called ‘out of turn’ which means that they were being promoted irrespective of when they were last promoted as a means of appreciation and motivation to the teacher to work extra hard at all times.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Teacher Kwadwo was summoned by GES over professional misconduct

    Ghanaian comedian and professional Teacher Michael Owusu Afriyie known widely as Teacher Kwadwo will face the Akrofuom District Education Directorate today, August 10, 2021, for an alleged act of professional misconduct.

    Teacher Kwadwo has been invited by the committee to answer some questions regarding his conduct as a teacher.

    A letter shared on his social media page read “you are invited to appear before the Akrofuom District Education Directorate for alleged professional misconducts”.

    It is unknown what professional misconduct entails but the award-winning comedian has been on a campaign on social media where he highlights major issues affecting the teaching profession.

    From poor remuneration to poor classrooms, Teacher Kwadwo has been touring various parts of the country to bring to light some of the teething challenges facing the education sector.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • GES urged to create support system for teachers

    Professor George K.T. Oduro, the immediate past Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast, has called on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to create a support system for teachers to facilitate the application of learner-centred teaching approaches in the classroom.

    He said this would help achieve the purpose for which the standard-based curriculum was introduced, adding that teachers should be equipped with requisite knowledge and skills for using Information, Communication Technology (ICT) as an interactive tool for making students more creative and reflective in the classroom.

    “Teachers need to be supported to enable them to uphold good teaching orientations. This is because no matter the effectiveness of a teacher, little achievement can be recorded if the requisite teaching-learning materials, laboratory equipment and professional support are absent or non-available in the school system,” he said.

    Prof Oduro made the call in his speech delivered at the 6th Quadrennial (53rd) Delegates Conference of the Agona Municipal branch of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT).

    It was one theme: “GNAT @90: Equipping the Teacher with Contemporary Teaching Methods for Quality Education Delivery in Agona.”

    Prof Oduro commended the GNAT for moving beyond the usual salary increase-focused advocacy by choosing a conference theme that had a direct bearing on quality enhancement of teacher professional practice in the classroom.

    He said: “The theme is central to Target 4.1 of SDG 4 which mandates governments to put in place strategies that would ensure that

    By 2030, … all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education, leading to effective learning outcomes.”

    Prof Oduro said in contemporary times, what teachers needed to make the standard-based curriculum more impactful was a teaching model that places the student/learner at the centre of the teaching-learning process and views teaching as a facilitation act.

    “It is important, therefore, that the GES ensures that logistics to support teaching and learning and the requisite professional development, necessary for enhancing teaching and learning for sustainable development, are provided.

    “The GNAT should also demonstrate practical commitment to the advancement of e-teaching and e-learning among its members by advocating for sustained capacity strengthening of teachers in the use of e-teaching tools. By so doing, the professionalism of teachers will be ensured as they cope with the demands of the standards-based curriculum.

    “We cannot succeed in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the year 2030 and achieve the goals underlying the standard-based curriculum if we do not adopt a more learner-centred and democratic approach to teaching and move away from the examination-focused teaching,” he said.

    Source: GNA

  • Reopening date for SHS 3 students not extended, remains May 5 – GES

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has stated that reopening date for final year senior high school students has not been extended.

    The GES which took notice of a Facebook post being circulated that the reopening date for SHS3 students has been postponed again to 28th May, 2021, said no such decision has been taken.

    “Management wishes to make it clear that no such decision has been made
    and that the reopening of SHS 3 students remains as 5th May 2021,” GES stated.

    It has therefore urged all students, staff, parents and the general public to to disregard the fake news being circulated by some unscrupulous persons.

    “Management again assures all that the new academic calendar will be
    published in due course,” GES added.

    Source: Atinka Online

  • NUGS chastises GES over postponement of reopening date for SHS 3 students

    The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has chided the Ghana Education Service (GES) for postponing the reopening date for final year students in senior high schools.

    GES in a press release on Tuesday, April 6, 2021, announced that it had postponed the reopening date for final year students to May 5, 2021.

    It explained that “this is to give the form 3 students an uninterrupted instructional period till they write their final examination.”

    Although GES has apologized to parents and affected students for the delay in communicating the directive, it has come under heavy criticisms from various stakeholders in the education sector as some final year students had already reported to school.

    Commenting on the issue, NUGS in a statement signed by its President, Isaac Jay Hyde, and dated Thursday, April 8, 2021, described the activities of GES as “shambolic” adding that “the level of ineptitude and gross inconsistencies by management of GES cannot be overemphasized.”

    Chronicling a number of times GES had to alter the academic year, NUGS said GES cannot continuously make parents and students pay for their “incompetence”

    “This is certainly not the first time an unfortunate decision like this has been announced at the last minute by GES.

    “GES recently inconvenienced Form One students and their parents by changing their reporting date from 10th March to 18th March 2021.

    “They have repeated this canker of an attitude coupled with a very late notice to form three students who have a limited time to prepare adequately for their final exams.

    “In fact, since 2018, the Ghana Education Service has changed reopening dates eight (8) times, leaving both parents and students to suffer the brunt of their decisions” parts of the statement read.

    NUGS further charged GES to “wake up from their slumber” and effectively discharge its duties.

    “We support any initiative that advances the cause of education and eliminates barriers to educational growth of every Ghanaian child. Beyond brilliant policies is also the need for proper implementation in order for us to achieve the maximum benefits of such initiatives.

    “The GES has fallen short in recent times. The leadership of GES must wakeup from their slumber. The recent happenings at the GES does not only affect the Ghanaian students competitiveness at the global stage +ut also threatens the success chalked over the years within the educational front.

    “It is our hope this level of incompetence has not come to stay,” the statement read.

    Source: universnewsroom.com

  • GES announces academic break for Easter holidays

    Management of the Ghana Education Service has announced that schools across the country will go on Easter break from Thursday, April 1, 2021, to Tuesday, April 6, 2021.

    According to the GES, the Easter break is compulsory for all schools including schools with boarding students.

    However, students who wish to stay on campus will be allowed to stay and fed by the respective school authorities.

    The statement signed by the GES Head of Public Relations, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, further disclosed that SHS 3 final year students are expected to resume for the second session of their first semester on Wednesday, April 7, 2021.

    Read the full statement by GES below:

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Reopening for SHS 1 students postponed to 18 March

    First-year Senior High School (SHS) students across the country are expected to report to school from Thursday, 18 March to Sunday, 21 March 2021 the Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced.

    First-year SHS students across the country were initially scheduled to report to school on Wednesday, 10 March 2021.

    However, the GES has postponed the reopening date to enable “the students and parents have ample time to prepare for school and School Management also prepare to receive them.”

    A statement issued by the GES and signed by its Head, Public Relations Unit, Cassandra Twum Ampofo said: “Management has also noted that some students have not yet enrolled and the extension will give these students the opportunity to do so as well.

    “Academic work will commence fully on Monday 22nd March 2021.”

    The statement further disclosed that Second and third-year SHS students will go on Mid Semester break from Monday, 8 March to Thursday, 11 March 2021.

    It added that: “The Mid Semester break is not compulsory and so students who wish to stay on campus must be fed and adhere to school rules.”

    Source: Class FM

  • SHS Reopening: Parents aren’t permitted to visit their children – GES

    Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof. Kwesi Opoku Amankwa says parents are not allowed to visit their children in their schools.

    Prof. Kwesi Opoku Amankwa urged the parents to give all necessary items their children need for school to them before going to campus because once they enter their various schools, there is no way they can reach out to their children in person.

    Senior High Schools will reopen on Wednesday, March 10.

    Form 1 single track, Form 2 gold and Form 3 single track students are the ones resuming on Wednesday.

    In an interview on ”Kokrokoo” on Peace FM, Prof. Opoku Amankwa said; ”The directive is that they can’t visit their children. The parents are allowed to send the children to school but after that, they are not permitted to visit them.”

    He also advised parents to ensure their children follow the COVID-19 protocols both in and out of the school premises.

    Source: Peace FM

  • 2020/21 SHS placement: GES to set up call centres for redress

    Ghana Education Service says that it is preparing to release the computerized school placement for the 2020/2021 academic year.

    This was indicated in a statement signed by the Head of the Public Relations Unit at GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo.

    “The Ghana Education Service (GES) informs the general public that it is preparing sufficiently to release the computerized School placement soon,” part of the statement reads.

    In view of the Covid situation, the Service has resolved to establish call centres across the country for people who have issues with their placement.

    “It should be noted that due to the COVID-19 situations, Management of the GES is setting up call centres across the Country and other appropriate alternative measures to resolve all placement-related issues.”

    GES has assured parents and candidates that it is “committed to ensuring a smooth, merit-based SHS placement process under established guidelines.”

    The placement will cover candidates, both school and private, who wrote the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2020, as well as other re-entrants.

    In all, about 525,000 qualified BECE candidates will be seeking placement into 721 senior high, technical and vocational schools of their choices which have declared about 535,000 vacancies.

    Source: universnewsroom.com

  • SHS Placement: GES urges calm

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has urged all stakeholders to remain calm as it prepares to release the computerised school placement “soon”.

    There have been numerous reports about the school placements but by a press release on Sunday, February 21, the GES hinted that the exercise has not been done with yet.

    This comes after an earlier promise to place the over 525,000 qualified students in 721 senior high, technical and vocational schools latest Sunday, February 21.

    “The Service continually assures parents, guardians, candidates and the general public to remain calm as GES is committed to ensuring a smooth, merit-based SHS placement process under established guidelines and look forward to their full cooperation in this regard,” the release signed by the Head of the Public Relations Unit of GES, Cassandra twum Ampofo, said.

    It added that as a result of the Covid-19 situation, call centres will be set up across the country and other appropriate alternative measures will be put in place to resolve all issues connected with the exercise.

    Source: 3 News

  • No school will be left out in the distribution of PPE GES

    The Ghana Education Service has asked school heads and parents to exercise patience as they ensure that every school benefits from the distribution of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) across the county.

    The GES has said that no school in the country will be left out in the distribution of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) following the resumption of schools amid the Coronavirus pandemic.

    The Ghana Education Service press statement follows the agitations and concerns raised by some parents and school heads that some schools are not benefiting from the distribution of personal protective kits after reopening.

    However, responding to these concerns raised by various stakeholders, the Public Relations Officer of GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo in an interview with Citi TV called for calm as they continue the distribution of the PPEs.

    “The distribution of the PPE is ongoing, and as of now some schools have not had some, but I will urge them to calm down. No school will be left out.”

    “Once we have started distribution, and they are aware that public schools are getting the PPE, they will also get theirs. They should wait patiently while the delivery gets to their end,” she concluded.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • Supplement classroom learning digitally GES Supervisor

    Joseph Nii Ayi Ayitey, Circuit Supervisor (CS) of the Ojoo Circuit 07 of the Ablekuma South Education Office, on Tuesday advised pupils to supplement classroom studies with digital means to enhance learning.

    These digital means included participation in the distance learning programmes on television and radio and research with the use of the internet.

    Mr Ayitey advised during interaction some schools in the Ablekuma South Constituency to celebrate “My First Day at School,” to welcome pupils and students to the classroom.

    He urged the pupils to take advantage of the various learning platforms on the radio and study after classes to augment the efforts of their teachers in the classroom.

    “We are not in normal times therefore I urge pupils to be thoughtful and make an effort to study online or with the distance learning platforms to make them enlightened,” he said.

    He also appealed to the pupils to comply with the COVID-19 safety protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.

    “The disease is real and they must practice all the safety protocols such as hand washing, wearing of nose masks, and social distancing.

    “Pupils should be in their nose masks from homes to the school and from the school back to homes when school closes”.

    He called on the teachers to teach the pupils and monitor them extensively especially during this period of the pandemic since they were COVID-19 Ambassadors.

    Mr Ayitey applauded parents for obeying and practising in the safety measures against COVID-19 and for providing their wards with nose masks and sanitizers to school to mitigate the spread of the pandemic.

    He, however, urged parents to encourage their wards to always use the nose masks and ensured the children always have hand sanitizers in their packages before sending them off to school.

    He said even though all teachers and pupils were COVID-19 Ambassadors, the Circuit had designated COVID-19 prefects in each class, and COVID-19 teachers on duty, in each school to monitor and prompt pupils on the use and observance of the safety protocols.

    As part of the monitoring, Mr Ayitey presented learning materials including pencils, biscuits and drinks to the new pupils in the kindergarten and class one to welcome and motivate.

    The schools toured were: A. M. E. Zion C Basic School, A. M. E. Zion B Basic School; Mamprobi Market 2 Primary School; Martyrs of Uganda; Nii Kodjo Ababioo Basic School; St. Georges Anglican Basic School; Mamprobi Sempe 1 Basic School; and Mamprobi South 3 Basic School.

    The entourage included were Madam Lydia Kwartey Ankrah, Second Cycle Coordinator and Mr William Lamptey Quaye, P. E. Coordinator.

    Source: GNA

  • GES assures public of safety ahead of re-opening of school Accra

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) says all necessary measures have been put in place ahead of the official re-opening of basic schools on Monday, January 18, 2021, for effective teaching and learning.

    The Service, in a statement issued in Accra, and signed by Ms. Cassandra Twum Ampofo, Head of Public Relations Unit, therefore, urged pupils, parents, teachers, and the public not to panic.

    It said academic work would commence on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

    The statement, directed that all schools should use Monday to tidy up classrooms and school environments for academic work.

    “In the light of that, Management wishes to inform all stakeholders that the annual event dubbed “My First Day at School” observed to welcome children entering school for the first time, will be held across all Districts and Regional Education Directorate on Tuesday 19th January 2021.

    “Let us get back to school for safe learning,” the statement added.

    Source: GNA

  • Peki SHS PTA demands probe of headteacher over alleged sexual assault of student

    The Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of Peki Senior High School in the Volta Region has petitioned the Volta Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to investigate allegations of rape and sexual assault levelled against the headteacher of the School.

    The latest allegation against the headteacher, Jonathan Delase Agble, involves a pregnant student.

    The PTA has thus reported the matter to the Police in Peki Avetile while petitioning the GES for the removal of the headteacher.

    According to the latest victim, Mr Agble tried to convince her to have sex with him to ensure her baby was not born deformed.

    “He said because the guy who impregnated me is not on campus, he will take me as his daughter and then do everything that will be needed.”

    She also said the teacher threatened her and eventually raped her.

    “He forced and had sex with me and led me to the high gate and asked me to go back to campus but warned me not to tell anybody.”

    According to the victim who has been granted exeat to seek medical help at home, she has been suffering abdominal pains since the rape.

    Upon reaching the school premises, Citi News also identified six girls who admitted that the headteacher had made sexual advances towards them.

    The PTA chairman, Mr Christian Ani-Frimpong in a Citi News interview explained that the association had no option than to report the matter to the police and seek the intervention of the Ghana Education Service.

    “We are petitioning GES to intervene because they are the owners of the school and if an incident of this nature happens, it is only fair that we call on them to investigate the matter so well so that the truth of the matter will be established.”

    When contacted for his response to the allegations, Mr. Agble said rather wants the authorities to investigate the allegations.

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Angry teachers picket GES over legacy arrears

    The Coalition of Aggrieved Teachers with arrears dating as far back 2012 on Wednesday, 30 September 2020 besieged the Ghana Education Service Head Office to petition the Director-General of Education on their legacy arrears which they say is long overdue.

    According to the aggrieved teachers, it has been rumoured recently that, the government has paid in full, all their members the arrears which according to them is untrue necessitating their action Wednesday morning.

    Numbering about 70 from across the country to represent their various groups, the teachers once again petitioned the Director-General to come clear on the payment of their arrears….

    Source: Class FM

  • GES begins selection of schools into SHSs, parents advised to guide wards

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has stated that selection of Senior high schools for candidates who just completed their BECE begins today, Monday, September 21, 2020.

    The Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) allows GES to place qualified candidates who sit for the BECE at the Junior High School level into any public senior high, technical or vocational school.

    For many, though the CSSPS is embattled with many challenges, it seems to have instilled some level of sanity, fairness and ease into the admission of students into the selection of schools.

    Parents and guardians have been strongly advised to take keen interest in the selection processes for a smooth placement of students.

    “Parents and guardians are encouraged to take active interest in guiding their wards to choose schools based on their performance.”

    According to the Service, parents and students should “seek for explanations and clarifications from the school management if [they] do not know what to do.”

    It added that the 2020 Senior High School register is available in all schools and Education Offices across the country for easy access.

    A statement signed by Cassandra Twum Ampofo, the Head of Public Relations of the GES, earlier in September, noted that “there will be an opportunity for candidates to text to shortcodes and confirm their school choices before actual placement is done.”

    Source: universnewsroom.com

  • GES recruits 2019 teachers from Colleges of Education

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has announced the recruitment of teachers from the colleges of education.

    The applicants must, however, meet the following requirements:

    – Completed College of Education in 2019 and have no outstanding exams or referrals

    – Completed mandatory national service

    – Passed Ghana Licensure Exams

    – Will be ready to work wherever services are needed

    Interested applicants have been advised to access the GES official website
    www.gespromotions.gov.gh
    to complete an online application form and upload all valid certificates on or before October 30, 2020.

    The recruitment, according to the GES, is strictly for only applicants who completed the colleges of education in 2019.

    Source: Class FM

  • Coronavirus: How students who have completed WASSCE will return home

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have jointly issued a guideline for the exit of students who have just completed the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and are returning home Friday, September 4, 2020 after a successful examination.

    Under the guidelines, any school where no positive case of COVID-19 has been recorded, the students can vacate and go home.

    Additionally, any school that recorded a positive case but has not reported any new positive case within the last two weeks, the students can vacate and go home, reports Graphic Online’s Severious Kale Dery on the Education Desk.

    This is contained in a statement jointly signed by the Director-General of the GES, Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa and the Director-General of the GES Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye and issued in Accra Thursday, September 3, 2020.

    After months of uncertainty and apprehension arising out of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, Senior high schools (SHSs) reopened to final-year students on June 22 for them to undergo six weeks of academic work up to July 31, 2020.

    That enabled them to prepare to write their final examination between August 3 and September 4, this year.

    The 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) finally kicked off for Ghanaian candidates in July.

    In all, 375,737 candidates from 976 schools took part in the examination at 796 centres throughout the country.

    Out of the figure, about 188,163 were females, while the remaining 187,573 were males.

    more to follow…

    Source: Graphic.com.gh

  • Pay 14,000 ‘ghost’ teachers in 15 days or we’ll advise ourselves Teachers to GES

    Leaders of teacher unions across that country have said they will “advise themselves” if the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) does not pay some 14,345 teachers and workers of the Service whose names were deleted from the payroll.

    A joint press statement issued by the Ghana National Association of Teacher (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana (CCT-GH) on Tuesday, 1 September 2020, said the teachers are also displeased because their salaries for the past three months have not been paid, even though they worked throughout the period.

    Describing the situation as “unacceptable”, the teacher unions have given the GES a 15-day ultimatum to fix the anomaly or “we have no other alternative than to advise ourselves”.

    Press statement from teacher unions

    The leadership of the teacher unions will want to show our displeasure and unhappiness to the unacceptable development where our 14,345 teachers and workers in the Ghana Education Service have had their names deleted from the payroll and have not been paid their salaries for the past three months, though evidence show that these teachers are at post and have been working.

    The unacceptable situation has come about as a result of a list developed and sent to the Controller and Accountant General Department (CAGD) by the Audit Service with the explanation that the affected teachers were not at post and are deemed as “ghost” teachers.

    We will want to indicate our indignation to the modus operandi of the Audit Service in declaring Public Sector Workers as “ghosts” without first resorting to the various service organizations for cross-checking and verification. A simple reference to the various Heads of Institutions of the affected GES workers to authenticate or otherwise, the presence of the worker could have avoided the embarrassment and pain caused these hard-working Teachers who are being made to go through pain they do not deserve.

    After several representations on the matter to the management of the GES, the leadership of the Unions were promised that the anomaly has been identified and that measures are far advanced to ensure that the affected teachers are paid.

    Unfortunately, the affected Teachers have not been paid their salaries, even for the month of August.

    The leadership and the entire membership of the Teacher Unions i.e. GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH cannot and will not sit by for innocent and hardworking Teachers to be wrongly denied their legitimate salaries and compensation.

    We hereby call on the Audit Service to immediately withdraw that list of names given to the Controller and Accountant General Department and also ask the Ghana Education Service to immediately direct the payment of the salaries and arrears that have accrued to the affected teachers.

    We call on the management of the Ghana Education Service to ensure that the teachers are paid without delay.

    The leadership of the Teacher unions, GNAT, NAGRAT and CCT-GH is giving a 15 September 2020 ultimatum for the affected teachers to be paid or we have no other alternative than to advise ourselves.

    Source: Class FM

  • Second-year SHS, JHS students to resume October 5

    Second-year Junior High School and Senior High School students will be returning to school on October 5, 2020.

    This follows relevant consultations by the Ghana Education Service, according to President Akufo-Addo.

    “With Junior High Schools operating with class sizes of thirty (30), and Senior High Schools with class sizes of twenty-five (25), SHS 2 and JHS 2 students will be in school for ten (10) weeks to study, and write their end of term examinations,” the President said in an address to the nation on Sunday evening.

    Prior to reopening, all schools will be fumigated and disinfected.

    All JHS two and SHS two students will be given reusable face masks like was done for the final year JHS and SHS students who reported to school earlier in the year.

    JHS two students will also be given one hot meal a day.

    “SHS 2 students in boarding houses are to return to their various dormitories on 5th October, whilst day students, respecting fully the COVID-19 protocols, will commute from home to their respective schools on the same date. Prior to reopening, all Junior and Senior High Schools will be fumigated and disinfected. Just as was done in the case of final year university, JHS and SHS students, all JHS 2 and SHS 2 students, as well as all teaching and non-teaching staff, will be given reusable face masks. Each school will be provided with Veronica Buckets, gallons of liquid soap, rolls of tissue paper, thermometer guns, and 200 milli-litre containers of sanitizers. JHS 2 students will be given one hot meal a day,” President Akufo-Addo added.

    President Akufo-Addo, however, said pupils from KG to primary 6, JHS 1 and SHS 1  will, however, return to school in January 2021.

    “The Ghana Education Service, after further consultations, has decided to postpone the remainder of the academic year for all nursery, kindergarten, primary, JHS 1 and SHS 1 students. The next academic year will resume in January 2021, with appropriate adjustments made to the curriculum to ensure that nothing is lost from the previous year. The relevant dispositions will also be made so that the presence, at the same time, in school of all streams of students, can occur in safety.”

    Source: citinewsroom

  • Mobile Phone usage in schools to be reviewed GES

    Stakeholders in the education sector are considering reviewing the ban on mobile phone usage in schools.

    Mrs Esther Jones Safo, Ga North Municipal Director of Education, who disclosed this in Accra on Thursday, said the review would be done so that mobile phones could be used strictly for academic purposes.

    She said this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the inauguration and swearing-in of Executive Members of the Ga North Municipality Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) at Pokuase in the Greater Accra Region.

    The inauguration was on the theme: “Providing Quality Education amid COVID-19 Pandemic, the Role of the Head Teacher.”

    COHBS seeks to bring together headteachers within the various directorates to share experiences, ideas, concerns and successes in the running of schools.

    Mrs Safo entreated students to desist from visiting restricted websites on phones and computers and rather take advantage of the Ghana Education Learning programmes on various television channels.

    She noted that in the era of COVID-19 headteachers must adopt strategies to help provide quality education.

    “Headteachers play a major role in the school management system and they are expected to come up with efficient and cost-effective strategies to improve on teaching and learning,” Mrs Safo said.

    “In these challenging times, headteachers are expected to explore various options for distance learning tools including online virtual lessons and downloadable lessons”.

    She said currently, schools around the world were being encouraged to reduce the rate of contact teaching and resort to the remote learning system to curb the spread of the pandemic.

    She, therefore, advised the headteachers to encourage their students to patronise radio and television programmes as well and appreciate distance learning.

    Mrs Safo drew their attention to the launch of the Ghana Accountability for Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) by the Government in June, this year, which aimed at improving the quality of low performing basic schools and strengthening education sector accountability.

    “The project would also employ the phased approach to accommodate the gradual rollout of the new curriculum by government, which would begin with early grade (KG to primary six),” she said.

    It would be expanded to other levels of basic education as the new curriculum is rolled out.

    “The learning interventions are expected to reach approximately 10,000 poorly performing public schools (KG, primary and Junior High Schools),” Mrs Safo said.

    She entreated members of the Ga North COHBS to remain united to propel growth.

    Nii Tettey Okpe II, Amamole Mantse and Chairman of the occasion urged members of the newly constituted Ga North COHBS to double up their efforts to catch up with their counterparts who were inaugurated some time ago and called for teamwork among teachers and headteachers.

    Mr Edward Obeng Anim Pabi, COHBS Chairman for Ga North, explained that the Ga North Municipality was created in 2019 out of the Ga Central Municipality.

    He said that resulted in headteachers not belonging to any of the groups, hence the need to mobilise them under one umbrella.

    Mr Addo Nicholas Nii Kpakpoe, Greater Accra Regional Chairman, COHBS, urged members to set out and share their visions and missions with teachers to spur excellence in teaching and learning.

    There were solidarity messages from the La Nkwantanang, Ga Central, and Weija/Gbawe COHBS.

    Source: GNA

  • Akufo-Addo’s directive to GES to allow dismissed students write WASSCE good – Educationist

    Educationist and psychologist Mr. Samuel Richard Ziggah says the directive by President Akufo-Addo to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to allow the dismissed 14 students write their exams is a step in the right direction.

    GES last week issued a statement dismissing 14 students following recent acts of indiscipline and vandalism recorded in the ongoing West African Senior High School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

    The students were also barred from writing their remaining exams organized by the West African Examination Council (WAEC).

    GES in its statement said the punishment was to “serve as a deterrent and to ensure that life and property are protected in schools”.

    But Mr. Ziggah in his view said the punishment was done in a rush and did not correspond with what the students did.

    He, has, therefore, commended the president for the directive he gave.

    Speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, Mr. Ziggah added the directive was not shocking because if it had not come, Ghanaians would have demanded for more answers.

    Meanwhile, he has alleged the students misbehaved because they were promised that they would be given the questions and even if they should fail, they would be passed.

    To him, authorities should have probed further before sanctioning the students.

    He said it was below the belt for the students to insult the president but they did what they did based on examples set by politicians who engage in insults in the media.

    He advised politicians to desist from engaging in politics of insults so they set good examples for our children.

    He has also asked for the GES to employ the services of counselors to counsel the students over the incident.

     

    Source: rainbownradioonline.com

  • WASSCE riots: Corporal punishment must be reintroduced – GNAT

    The Ghana Education Service must think of reintroducing corporal punishment to instill discipline in most schools across the country, President of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Phillipa Larson has stated.

    Speaking on Morning Starr, Madam Larson said the behaviour of some candidates in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is a clear indication that the Ghana Education Service must reconsider the ban on corporal punishments in schools.

    “I think that as a country we should look at corporal punishment and bring it back in a way,” Madam Larson told sit-in host Lantam Papanko Monday morning on Starr 103.5FM.

    GES in 2017 officially banned all forms of corporal punishment of children in schools in Ghana as part of efforts aimed at promoting a safe and protective learning environment for children.

    The GES directed in January 2019 that a Positive Discipline Toolkit which gives alternatives to corporal punishments be adopted by all teachers.

    On Friday, the GES dismissed some 14 final year students who are believed to have caused chaos and destroyed properties in their respective schools in the wake of the ongoing WASSCE.

    The GES in a statement said the action is to serve as deterrent for other students who are still partaking in the exams.

    President Akufo-Addo on Sunday appealed to the Ghana Education Service to reconsider the decision to ban some 14 students from writing the ongoing WASSCE following their involvement in the recent chaos in their schools.

    In a statement Sunday, the President directed the Education Minister to intervene in order to ensure that the students are made to write the exams. The statement, however, noted the dismissal and other punishment meted to them must stand.

     

    Source: Starr FM

  • Sack final year SHS students involved in reckless violence from boarding house GES

    Heads of the various Senior High Schools(SHSs) where final year students have been engaged in misconduct over “strict invigilation” and “social distance” at examinations halls have been directed to deboardnize all students found culpable.

    According to the Ghana Education Service(GES), the deboardnized students will have to commute from their homes to the various schools under parental supervision.

    Also, Headmasters of these schools have been directed to report all forms of criminality to the Ghana Police Service for investigations to be conducted and punishment meted out where necessary.

    The Service has also ordered that students established to be involved in the destruction of school property should be surcharged.

    The Ghana Education Service in its statement called on parents to speak to their wards to maintain high level of discipline and comportment because pleas for mitigation will not be accepted by the various schools.

     

    Source: My News GH

  • You concentrate on fake leaked WASSCE question paper at your own peril GES to candidates

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has dismissed claims that a question paper in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) was deliberately leaked.

    In a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations Unit, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, the GES stated emphatically that the said leaked questions in circulation are bogus.

    The body advised the public to disregard all allegations that the questions were leaked to ensure the candidate excel in their exams.

    “Management of GES wishes to assure all candidates and the general public that the said question paper making the rounds is fake. Indeed, there is no WASSCE subject written by Ghanaian candidates called General paper.”

    “Management further assures the candidates and the general public that the examinations are being managed by responsible men and women who will never sacrifice the integrity of the examinations for any other expediency,” the statement said.

    All candidates were warned against concentrating on this question paper at the peril of their preparations.

    The Service has measures have been put in place to track those behind the supposed leaked fake question papers.

    The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) has also described as fake the images of papers circulating on social media purported to be for upcoming Integrated Science examination.

    The WASSCE started Monday, July 20, across the country after over a month of preparation in school.

    President Akufo-Addo recalled final year students to school to study for their respective exit examinations.

    This was met with various criticism considering the outbreak and spread of Covid-19 in some schools shortly after the reopening.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • GES begins recruitment of 2017, 2018 College of Education graduates

    The Ghana Education Service has announced the recruitment of trained teachers who completed the College of Education in 2017 and 2018.

    This announcement was captured in a statement released by the Ghana Education Service.

    According to the GES, the trained teachers who will be recruited are those who were not qualified for recruitment at the time of the earlier exercise, but have since qualified to be recruited.

    The GES indicated that applicants must meet the following criteria for consideration:

    1. Completed College of Education in 2017 or 2018 and have no outstanding /referral paper.

    2. Completed the mandatory one year National Service.

    3. Passed the Ghana Teacher Licensure Examination.

    4. Available to work where your services are needed.

    Interested applicants are to access the GES official web portal www.gespromotions.gov.gh to complete the application form and attach a valid certificate on or before August 25, 2020.

    The GES also indicated that recruitment for other levels will be announced later.

    Below is a copy of the statement:

    Source: kuulpeeps.com

  • MEGHIS final year student dies

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has confirm the death of a final year Senior High School (SHS) student at Methodist Girls High School located at Mamfe in the Eastern region.

    The final year SHS student died just a few weeks after resumption of academic work to prepare for the final exams.

    A statement from the Ghana Education Service indicated that the female student of Methodist Girls High School located at Mamfe in the Eastern region died from Acute Malaria.

    The statement said the student whose name was given as Cindy Aku Sika Addo was rushed to the Tetteh Quarshie hospital on Thursday, July 16 but was transferred to Koforidua Regional Hospital on Friday where she met her untimely death.

    The Ghana Education Service has assured the family of its support in giving her a befitting burial.

    This increases the number of deaths to three in just a space of two weeks.

    Read statement below

     

    Source: My News GH

  • Death of Gwiraman SHS student not caused by school – GES

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has disputed claims that the death of a student of Gwiraman Senior High School was due to mishandling by the management of the school.

    GES says although it consoles family of the late Nathaniel Yankey, his death was not caused by the school.

    In a statement, GES said the family if the student rented a private hostel where the student stayed and was reporting to school because the school is an E-block community day school.

    The school was then informed about his ill health but when they called to check up on him yesterday (Wednesday, July 15, 2020), they were informed he had passed, the statement added.

    Source: Starr FM

     

  • Education Ministry, GES close for disinfection exercise after COVID-19 infections

    The Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service have closed their offices temporarily to allow for a disinfection exercise.

    This is after the Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who has recovered from COVID-19 infection, noted that some of his staff had also been infected with the virus.

    The Head of Communications at the Ministry, Ekow Vincent Assafuah told Citi News the disinfection meant workers had to leave work early on Friday.

    But he said he expects the staff to be at work next Monday.

    Mr. Assafuah also clarified earlier comments by Dr. Opoku Prempeh concerning the scale of infections at the Ministry.

    The minister said about 90 percent of his staff had the virus.

    But Mr. Assafuah has indicated that “he meant about 90 percent of his inner circle.”

    “The inner circle is not even up to 20 so it cannot be that about 90 percent of the staff of the Ministry of Education have contracted the coronavirus.”

     

    Source: citinewsroom 

  • Dont panic, Accra Girls coronavirus cases under control – GES, GHS to parents

    The Ghana Education Service has through a joint statement with the Ghana Health Service confirmed that six students, a teacher, and a spouse have tested positive for coronavirus in Accra Girls SHS.

    The affected persons, the statement assured have been separated from non-contacts.

    Also, testing of all contacts has commenced, the statement added.

    It further disclosed parents of all students who have tested positive would be allowed to visit their wards.

    Parents were also assured everything was being done to ensure the safety of students.

    Read the full statement below:

     

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com

  • Ensure all protocols are observed – GES tells heads of schools

    The Ghana Education Service is asking heads of senior high schools to ensure that students and staff strictly adhere to all the health and safety protocols outlined to curb the spread of the new coronavirus disease as schools open their gates to the final-year and second year Gold Track students.

    The Director-General of the GES, Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa who stated  this, said guidelines as to how the heads should manage the schools had been shared with them and the GES expected that they follow them to the letter.

    Speaking in an interview on the readiness of management of the GES for the reopening of the schools, Prof Opoku-Amankwa said all the PPE had been dispatched to all schools and it was the expectation that all the schools would have received their share by the close of Monday.

    Under the guidelines, students must wear masks at all times, wash hands with soap under running water or rub hands with alcohol-based
    hand sanitizer before entering a school compound, always observe social distancing of at least one metre and avoid handshaking or body contact as well as register their details including phone numbers with school authorities.

    The guidelines also expect the heads of the schools to provide thermometer guns or thermal scanners for checking the temperature of staff and students at all entry points of schools and also ensure the mandatory wearing of masks by all at all times as well as provide hand washing facilities with running water and soap and/or FDA approved alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

    Prof Opoku-Amankwa said the guidelines also included the seating protocols in the classrooms and the dining halls as well as the arrangement of beds in the dormitories.

    He said the guidelines also required that the heads provided adequate waste management facilities and adequate toilet facilities for students, staff, and visitors as well as ensure regular cleaning and disinfection of toilet facilities.

    Prof Opoku-Amankwa said the heads were expected to follow all the guidelines and best practices to ensure that there was safety and security on their campuses and in the event of anything, “they should call us and give us the feedback immediately.”

    To the parents, the D-G also assured parents of the safety of their wards in the schools, adding that adequate measures had been put in place to ensure maximum security and protection of students while they were in the school.

    He told Graphic Online that all classes would be split, of no more than 25 students in a class and all day students in boarding schools would be in boarding, while day schools would have enhanced daily health protocols.

    Additionally, dining will be in batches in the boarding schools.

    “The heads are to make classroom seating arrangements such that students or chairs are at least one metre away from each other.

    “Boarding schools/SHS and TVET dining halls should be kept clean always and attendance to dining halls should be in batches to ensure social distancing, while the tables and benches at the dining halls should be disinfected after each batch”, Prof Opoku-Amankwa said.

    He said the heads were also asked to display the approved health promotion materials on COVID-19 at vantage points on the school compound to remind students to keep to social distancing protocols, wearing of the masks, regular hand washing, coughing, and sneezing etiquette.

    As part of the guidelines, Prof Opoku-Amankwa said heads were also to ensure that the school infirmaries are opened at all times and a full-time nurse should be stationed to provide first aid services.

    “Each boarding school is required to earmark a dormitory (male and female in a mixed school) as potential isolation centre should there be the need to isolate any student.

    “Each school is mapped to a particular health facility to which the school shall report any emergency”, he further added.

    Source: graphic.com.gh

  • Parents must assist children to observe safety protocols – GES

    The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa has appealed to parents to assist their children to comply with the necessary protocols outlined by government as they return to school to ensure their safety is not compromised.

    According to him even though government had instituted a lot of measures to ensure the safety of all students, there was the need for parents to compliment these efforts.

    “There is no need for any parent to prevent his or her ward from going to school to prepare and write their final exams. Government has put in place all the necessary measures to safeguard the children and it will be appropriate for parents to compliment this gesture,” he emphasised.

    Speaking to the Ghanaian Times in a telephone conversation, Prof. Amankwa said even though no one could force any parent to send his or her ward to school, it was important that the parents placed the development of the children above all other consideration.

    He said government would not deliberately endanger the lives of the very student it had spent so much on, stressing that as a result, parents must do away with the fear factor and support them in safeguarding the welfare of the children.”

    Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

  • Trading activities on GSE increase by 147 percent in May

    Trading activities on the Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE) picked up in May this year despite the bite of the novel Coronavirus on markets and the global economy.

    A summary of May 2020 trading activities released by the GSE said trading activities on the local bourse jumped in May with a 147 percent increase over the trades recorded at the end of April.

    The total volumes of shares traded at the end of May stood at 72,618,971 compared with the 29,372,476 shares recorded at the end of April this year.

    “Total value increased by 114 percent to end May 2020 with GH¢47, GH¢825 million as against GH¢22, 354 million recorded at the end of April 2020,” the GSE said.

    The GSE explained that the daily average value recorded in May was GH¢2, 517 million compared to GH¢1, 117 million recorded in April this year.

    It said the total traded stocks between January and May 2020 was 201,504,907 shares valued at GH¢147, 024,696.05 representing 135 percent and 73 percent respectively over volume and valued traded for the same period in 2019.

    The GSE said the GSE Composite index, at the end of May, recorded a decline of 14.01 percent (YTD) compared to the 8.74 (YTD) recorded at the end of April 2020, adding that that “this was due to selling pressure from investors on the market”.

    It said the top five volumes of stocks traded were MTN Ghana, 188,381,392, Cal Bank, 3,422,624, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, 1,910,027, Ecobank Ghana Limited, 1,389,555 and Aluworks 1,197,862.

    The GSE indicated that the MTN Ghana led the group terms of the top five in terms of the value of stocks traded with 121,630,336.6, EGH with 7,681,211.59, GCB with 5,219,371.46, SCB with 5,084,297.64 and Cal with 2,940,235.26.

    On the Fixed Income Market, the GSE said the volumes of securities traded for the month of May 2020 went down by 298 million from the April 2020 figures of 9,188,273,051.00 and the total volume of 8,889,357,142 securities were traded at a value of GH¢9, 198,499,234.00.

    “The total cumulative trades executed on the Fixed Income Market from January 2020 to the end of May 2020 stands at 40,485,145,499, a 50 percent increase over the same period in 2019 and 73 percent of the entire 2019 trade volume. Liquidity of the market has increased to 32 percent at the end of May from 26 percent in April 2020,” the GSE said.

    It said the top five securities traded in the period under review were the Government of Ghana securities which ranged from two and ten-year bonds.

    For the two-year bond, the GSE said the volume traded was 969,296,001 at an interest rate of 15.78 percent with 1,536 of trades, while the volume traded for the three-year bond was 2,571,258,449 at an interest rate of 13.04 percent which attracted 1,933 trades.

    The GSE said the volume traded for the five-year bond was 1,852,858,846 at an interest rate of 16.08 percent with 1,821 trades and the volume traded for the six-year bond was 741,096,647 at an interest rate of 20.20 with trades of 95 percent and the volume for the 10-year bond was 1,125,352,866 at an interest rate of 20.56 percent with 359 trades.

    Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh

  • No church services should be held in classrooms – GES warns

    No church services will be held in classrooms, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa has cautioned Christian religious leaders in the country.

    Following President Akufo-Addo’s ease of restrictions on public gatherings, schools across the country have reopened for final year students and churches are permitted to hold religious services.

    The final year students will have a four-hour lecture as they prepare for their final exams.

    As part of measures to protect them against the novel Coronavirus, all schools will regularly be fumigated and nose masks together with Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) will be distributed to the students and school administrators.

    There is also a normal practice in Ghana where Pastors turn classrooms into churches after schools are closed.

    The GES Director-General says the Pastors are no more invited to use the classrooms because ”if we allow a lot of people to come close to the school children and something happens, it will be difficult to know how it occurred. In a case where the health Professionals want to do tracing, it will be difficult but if the child comes from school to the home, you’ll be able to do the tracing”.

    ”We won’t allow church services in the classrooms”, he stressed in an interview on Peace FM’s ‘Kokrokoo’.

    Watch the interview below:

    Source: Peace FM

  • No school should issue prospectus to parents – GES warns

    Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa has warned schools not to issue prospectus to parents and guardians.

    There are reports that some schools after reopening, have issued prospectus to parents of some wards.

    According to Professor Opoku-Amankwa, the Education Service has not authorized any school, particularly public schools, to give prospectus to parents and therefore cautioned the Heads of schools involved in the practice to quickly desist from such acts.

    Speaking in an interview with Kwami Sefa Kayi on Peace FM’s “Kokrokoo”, the GES Director-General said “those schools and heads, they dare not. Nobody has authorized them to do that. You’ll be in trouble should you do such a thing. Nobody has directed any person to issue prospectus”.

    Source: Peace FM

  • GSE Financial Index declines marginally

    The benchmark index shed 60.78 points (-2.89%) following downward price movements in MTN Ghana (-7.58%) and Ecobank Ghana (-0.67%), closing the session at 2,041.96 with a -9.53% year-to-date return while the market capitalization decreased by 1.14% to settle at GH¢54.59 billion.

    Consequently, the GSE Financial Index declined marginally by 2.87 points (-0.15%) to close at 1,873.88 with -7.22% year-to-date return while the SAS Manufacturing Index remained unchanged at 3,192.63 with a -8.30% year-to-date return.

    Trading activity jumped as 9,902,537 shares valued at GH¢6,049,165 changed hands from 19,607 shares valued at GH¢28,513 at the previous session. MTN Ghana dominated trades by volume and value, accounting for 99.92% of the total volume traded and 99.79% of the total value traded.

    We expect trading activity to pick up as investors take advantage of bargain stocks.

    Source: SAS Ghana

  • 18,475 teachers promoted after passing GES aptitude test

    18,475 teachers who sat for the maiden Promotion Aptitude Test on February 20 and 21, 2020, have been promoted.

    The teachers were promoted by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to various grades within the service.

    The positions for which the teaching staff were interviewed were Deputy Director, Assistant Deputy Director I, Assistant Deputy Director II, and Principal Superintendent.

    In the Deputy Director grade, 2,336 candidates took the test, out of which 1,140, representing 48.8 percent, were successful.

    For the Assistant Director, I grade, 7,170 took the test, with 4,709 (65.7 percent) being successful, while 10,860 (59.5 percent) out of the 18,238 candidates who wrote the promotion test for the grade of Assistant Director II passed.

    The Director-General of the GES, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, said for the Principal Superintendent grade, 1,766 candidates, representing 69.6 percent of the 2,536 who wrote the test, were successful.

    He said “Formal promotion letters will be released in due course. Results for the non-teaching staff will also be released soon.”

    Source: pulse.com.gh

  • GES raises red flag on GNACOPS online terminal examinations

    Undoubtedly, the educational sector has been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic in Ghana causing curriculum disruptions. As a result, virtual or e-learning has been adopted by most educational institutions to enable them to complete their academic work.

    Executive Director of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools GNACOPS, Enoch Jetuah, explained the introduction of an online examination platform. He hinted that more than 18,000 students from Private schools nationwide have written their online terminal examinations from Nursery to JHS 2, Mr. Jetuah noted that the platform is disability friendly.

    Reacting to the adoption of online terminal examination by GNACOPS, Director General of the Ghana Education Service, Prof. Opoku Amankwah said the move although laudable leaves much to be desired.

    Speaking to Radio Ghana, Prof. Amankwah said that the priority of the GES is content, practical based learning and assessment and not terminal examination.

    Hence, the introduction of the virtual learning channel on GBC TV dubbed GL TV. This he said will help students in Junior and Senior High Schools to catch up with the curriculum while at home. He also hinted of plans to replicate this on radio soon.

     

    Source: gbcghanaonline.com

  • GES okays use of school facilities for coronavirus fight

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) says it has no objection to the use of school facilities for Covid-19 related activities.

    However, it has directed that all requests in that direction should be routed through its Director General who is then liaise with the National Covid-19 Coordinating Team.

    In a statement signed by the Director General Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, GES says the aim is to ensure effective coordination and monitoring of the use of the facilities by GES and the National Covid-19 Coordinating Team.

    It noted in the statement that it has received several requests from district and regional directors of Education and heads of SHS/TVETs for direction following demands made on them by both regional and district health and security teams to release schools facilities to be used for various activities connected with efforts at fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.

    Source: dailyguidenetwork.com

  • GES directs all schools to suspend all public activities

    The Ghana Education Service (GES), has directed all educational institutions to suspend all public activities such as Speech and Prize Giving days until further directives are given by the Director-General.

    Meanwhile, the Management of the GES in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service (GHS), has developed educational materials on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) disease for onward distribution and use by all schools.

    The directive which was issued in Accra and signed by Professor Kwesi Opoku-Amankwa, the Director-General, Ghana Education Service, urged all Regional and District Educational Directors to ensure that Heads of Schools made the materials readily available to staff and students.

    It said Educational Directors were also expected to liaise with their respective Regional and District Health Directors to ensure smooth education campaigns in schools.

    It said the comprehensive COVID-19 Guidelines and Administrative Procedures for Schools jointly developed by the GHS and the GES for public awareness campaign in all schools across the country, entailed an introduction and background to the new disease outbreak, including its origin, cause, and the various steps being taking to halt the spread.

    The Guidelines also explained why people should be worried about COVID-19, pointing out that the disease has currently attained a pandemic dimension because it was spreading faster than it had been anticipated by the World Health Organisation (WHO), from the onset, with high death rates, and it was important that people appreciated the situation and act responsibly.

    The Guidelines described the mode of spread of COVID-19 and provided detailed education on the basic etiquettes such as covering of mouth when coughing, sneezing and spitting, and precautionary measures such as maintaining about two meters distance from an infected person.

    It stressed on frequent handwashing with soap under running water or use of alcohol-based hand sanitizers and desisting from touching face, eyes or mouth with contaminated, hands as some preventive measures.

    It also emboldened the various signs and symptoms of the disease, which include fever and tiredness, running nose, cough, sore throat, muscle ache and breathing difficulties.

    The GES, therefore, advised all schools to collaborate with their District Education Offices to among other things, identify and establish a line of communication with the nearest local or district health facility, and also a Point of Contact in these facilities for emergency medical response.

    All school are also to have direct to the School Health Education Programme (SHEP) Coordinator in their districts, and immediately organise a meeting with parents, School Management Committees and other stakeholders to provide sensitization.

    They were to keep large assemblies to a minimum and maintain social distancing, and in boarding schools, institute house-based health awareness meetings, where Hygiene education must be promoted and intensified.

    The GES also advised Heads of schools to immediately refer all symptoms of COVID-19, to a health facility, with follow-ups on the test results by heads of schools, so they could swiftly inform their District Directors of Education for a detailed report on the incident.

    The reports, it said, must contain the name of the school, number of students in the school, in the class, teachers, history of patient’s contact in the school and additional information that would be helpful to the district office.

    It said in case a person was confirmed to be infected with the disease, in a school or any education office, the flow of information shall be from the Heads of schools, or their designee to the district office.

    The information should include the nature of the is tuition and the impact on students, staff and facility where applicable, however in the event, the district received information of an outbreak in its jurisdiction, region or national, that may affect the school, such announcement must be made to the Head of the institutions of their designees.

    The statement said these required close coordination with the GES Headquarters on the next steps, and that the Service would follow closely the advice of the GHS and use its best judgment on school closures, should it become necessary to do so in the interest of public health.

    Source: GNA

  • GES sacks Sawla SHS teacher for allegedly raping student

    A mathematics tutor at Sawla Senior High School has been dismissed by the Ghana Education Service (GES) for allegedly raping one of his female students.

    The dismissal of Ernest Ocloo, 34, and popularly known to his colleagues and the students as ‘OC100’, followed a letter by the directorates of education in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District as well as the Savannah Region, recommending the action.

    The sack letter was signed by the GES Director-General, Prof. Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa and copied the sector Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, his deputies and directors, including the affected district and school.

    “Mr. Ernest Ocloo has been involved in sexual misconduct with several female students of Sawla Senior High School. He admitted to having sexual intercourse with a female student in the staff common room on the 11th of November, 2019 and claimed it was consensual,” the letter read in part.

    According to the letter, Ernest Ocloo is in the habit of harassing female students in the school following his open admission that he took another female student to pass the night in his room in town but denied they had sex.

    “By recent practice and precedent, such misconduct is punishable with termination of appointment. Management therefore recommends that the appointment of Mr. Ernest Ocloo should be terminated in line with section 63(iii) (b)(vi) page 86 as contained the code of conduct for Teachers and other workers of the Ghana Education Service…

    “It is the expectation of Management that this will act as a deterrence to all staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES) that such conduct will not be countenanced,” the letter cautioned.

    Meanwhile, checks indicate that apart from the Regional Education Directorate, neither the affected tutor, the school nor District Education Directorate received their copies of the letter.

    Background

    Ernest Ocloo reportedly went back to campus after school hours and invited his victim, name withheld, into the school’s staff common room where he allegedly raped her on the floor until she was bleeding.

    He then carried her to the girls’ hostel and abandoned her until her colleagues raised the alarm for help before she was sent to the Sawla Clinic for medicals.

    The teacher was later arrested by officers from the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District Divisional Police Command after some days.

    He was put before the Bole Magistrate Court where he was charged for rape and detained in police custody.

    He was later granted bail waiting for recommendations from the Attorney-General’s Department for the next line of action.

     

    Source: myjoyonline 

  • GES, GHS meet to prevent spread of coronavirus in schools

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Health Service (GHS) have met Friday, following the reported cases of the novel coronavirus in the country.

    The aim of the joint meeting was to deliberate on and decide measures to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus in schools

    Some issues discussed in the joint meeting were the finalisation of the content on education material, sensitisation of students and staff and familiarisation of staff with emergency numbers to report suspected cases among students.

    The Director Generals of both the GHS and GES, Program Officer of WASH, GES, Heads of Public Relations of both bodies and other executives were present at the event.

    Both Director Generals have agreed to issues a joint statement soon.

    However,  a more detailed plan of action is yet to be rolled out.

     

    Source: myjoyonlineÂ