The Executive Director of African Education Watch, Kofi Asare has asked the Ghana Education Service (GES) to clarify the rationale behind the postponement of the reopening of SHS 3 students.
Speaking in an interview, Mr. Asare averred that the decision by the GES is quite disappointing since this is not the first time GES is taking such a decision.
“There has barely been a term or semester without an erratic change in the academic year’s calendar by the GES between 2018 and now.”
Kofi Asare
Mr Asare further stated that GES should have informed teachers, students and parents, ahead of the reopening date; adding that the short notice by GES has been a regular feature since 2018.
“The management of GES, must be held accountable. You know you can’t always get away with some of these things. There’s an element of negligence one can cross and so we believe that the management of GES must be held responsible.”
Kofi Asare
Moreover, he revealed that in November 2019, African Education Watch issued a release to the GES stating that,;as much as possible, there should be a timetable that can be worked with to enable parents to plan ahead of reopening.
“The GES must come out and issue a new timetable and assure parents that;this is the final timetable for the academic year.”
Kofi Asare
This, he maintains if not done, will bring about the detriment of the education sector. SHS reopening
“Someone must answer questions to the political authority that put them there. Either than that, it is going to be a culture that will continue and that wouldn’t help the education sector.”
Kofi Asare
GES postpones reopening
Yesterday, April 6, 2021, the Ghana Education Service postponed the reopening date of schools for senior high school third-year students to May 5, 2021. Schools were originally scheduled to reopen on 6th April.
This, the service says, follows a proposal by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) for a review of the academic calendar. It also said the adjustment is intended to give the students an uninterrupted period of instruction until they write their final examinations.
However, the PRO of GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo said that the postponement of the re-opening date for finalists in the Senior High Schools (SHS) won’t affect the instructional period of students in any way. SHS reopening
She assured all parents and students that with the new scheduled date, May 5, “not a single thing will be lost.”
“As a matter of fact we are supposed to have 1080 hours before the final examination.
“So, it means that within the period that student would have prepared like May 28 to June 29,;they would not have any break. They would continue and then the practical session for the final exam that would begin in August. And then September the actual work will have to begin till they complete in October.”
Cassandra Ampofo
According to her, GES has had a meeting with CHASS to discuss the reopening date and concluded that;the decision they arrived at would not affect the final year students but rather help reduce the congestion in schools.
