The National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTAs) has commended President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo for taking the initiative to implement the Free Senior High School Policy.

A statement signed by Mr Alexander Yaw Danso, the National President of the Council, on Thursday [February 16], said the association believed the policy would go a long way to relieve parents from their struggles to finance their children’s secondary cycle education.

It said the policy would also help junior high school graduates to have access to secondary education and increase the country’s literacy rate.

The statement said to ensure that the policy was sustained, the NCPTAs would continue to contribute its quota to enhance teaching and learning in schools.

“We, therefore, urge all stakeholders in education to support this laudable policy to benefit all Ghanaians,” it said.

The statement appealed to the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service to strengthen their monitoring system to improve the quality of education in the country, “particularly when people tend to take free things for granted”.

It expressed the hope that all parents would contribute their quota in supporting their children and not rely solely on the Government.

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Source: GNA

An unusual plea from a child beggar in the streets of India for a pencil instead of money, has left in its place tremendous stories in the lives of other children across the world.

Adam Braun, the American teenager on one of his trips to India, met a child beggar who seem to value pencil as the most important thing to him in the world.

Rather than begging for money, he begged for a pen.

Adam did not only give out his only pencil in his backpack, but also promised replicating the gesture to other children across the world.

Six years on, this promise of a pencil for the underprivileged child has made an indelible impact; transforming the lives and improving learning environment of school children the world over.

Children in rural Ghana were privileged to have had Adam’s Pencils handed to them in 2012. Their activities which started in the Volta Region now extends to other parts of Ghana.

Education they say is a right. It is therefore the dream of every parent to have their ward enrolled in the best schools with all the basic amenities. This however does not always turn out to be the case in most countries in Africa including Ghana.

Some pupils in Ghana study in structures which can best be described as death traps, and have proven to be very inhabitable in all weather conditions.

It is common to see schools operating under trees, dilapidated mud structures and palm frond shades. The situation also does little to save the pupils from snakes and other reptile invasion, which disrupts learning activities anytime they are sighted.

Records available shows that about 250,000 children of primary school age in the Volta Region, lack basic reading, writing and math skills.

Indeed, new beginnings are always difficult moments. But what is not started today is never finished tomorrow. The Pencils of Promise’s five years operations in Ghana mainly in the Volta Region, has made giant strides in improving the quality of education.

Headed by Freeman Gobah, the Country Director, Pencils Of Promise has touched the lives of pupils and teachers by continuously removing schools under trees and equipping teachers with the necessary skills to help improve teaching and learning in schools.

As of 2016, at least about 20 districts in the Volta Region had benefited from their projects with additional two districts in the Eastern Region also benefiting. Over 97 schools have so far been rescued from collapsing.

Adaklu District has been one of such districts which has benefited massively from the benevolence of the NGO.

The population of Adaklu District, according to the 2010 Population and Housing Census, is 36,391, representing 1.7 percent of the region’s total population.

Of the population, 3 years and older (33,952) in the district, 19.0 percent has never attended school, 41.1percent are currently attending school and 40.0percent have attended school in the past.

It is no wonder the district was named one of the poorest in the country by the Ghana Statistic Service.

Safe in mind that Education is the surest way to defeat poverty, ignorance and inequality, the Adaklu District together with other districts in the region are partnering with the NGO to fight poverty and its other issues.

With the interventions from Pencils of Promise supported by the MP ofor Adaklu, Hon Kwame Agbodza, education and academic performance has improved in the area. At least nine (9) school blocks were built and well-furnished for pupils and teachers in the district.

Teachers and their pupils are being supported with teaching and learning materials such as E-Readers, Tablets, Posters, Wall hangings and paintings, literacy kits and books. Over 150 teachers in the region have benefited from teacher support programs.

To ensure a holistic education, Pencils of Promise also introduced its water, sanitation and hygiene module, where the schools are provided sanitary facilities, Polytanks, water filters, buckets and pupils groomed to adopt healthy lifestyles.

Other beneficiary districts include Ho, Ho West, Agotime Ziope, Afadzato South, Central Tongu, South Tongu, Akatsi North, Jasikan, Nkwanta North, Kpando, Akatsi South, Hohoe, Ketu North, Ketu South, Keta among others.

Indeed, the story of Pencils of Promise didn’t only give hope to these children, but also empowers them to reach beyond their immediate environment to fight the war of poverty and ignorance.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has refuted the claims attributed to him to the effect that basic and second cycle school headteachers, who oversee failure rates of 90 percent and above will be sacked.

Dr. Opoku Prempeh, as he rubbished the claims, also vowed to resign if there is any proof of such claims.

“The person who alleges I said it should prove it. If he proves it, I will resign as a minister. I haven’t said that anywhere. It is the duty of our regulators and the Ghana Education Service who should drive standards and performance in schools,” he said.

Dr. Opoku Prempeh was addressing heads of high schools in Kumasi, where he reportedly said they would have to justify their continued stay in their positions to the Ghana Education Service (GES) if they superintend poor examination results.

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), for instance, expressed its displeasure with the comments which it considered as a threat.

GES backs Education Minister

But the Ghana Education Service (GES) , rose to the defence of the Minister of Education saying his comments, which was a charge to headteachers in Kumasi, were wrongly misconstrued as threats.

In an interview with Citi News, the Public Affairs Officer of the GES, Reverend Jonathan Bettey, said “the Minister for Education was addressing the heads and teachers involved, especially teachers who under-performed, and he did not use the word sack. The GES has also not decided to sack any of our teachers on that issue.”

Rev. Bettey explained further that, the Education Minister’s plans were tied to the New Patriotic Party government’s plans to improve the working conditions of teachers.

“He was saying that there wouldn’t be any justification for any of our headmasters who would not perform if all they need are given them, because the president promised to motivate our teachers.”

“The minister will not order a sack and one will be sacked. The order must pass through a lot of processes to prove that this person deserves to be sacked.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Though many have lauded moves by government to implement the Free SHS Policy in September 2017, the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools, (CHOPSS), is worried that the policy will eventually phase them out.

They argue that the policy will reduce the demand for enrollment in private Senior High Schools.

But speaking to Citi News, the Public Relations Officer of CHOPSS, Naphtali Kyei Baffour, said the policy when implemented will put them out of business.

“It is an undeniable fact that the private sector is the engine of growth for development. Therefore any policy that seeks to collapse the activities of private sector should be reconsidered. That is why we believe that inasmuch as the [Free SHS] policy is very good as it seeks the well-being and interests of students, parents and Ghanaians as a whole, it is also imperative that as we sit, we look at factors that can help the private ones to be sustained.”

“Private schools sustain their existence from the mop up they get from candidates with aggregate 30 to whatever grade. Now it has been extended to 42 so our question now is; with the introduction of free SHS, we are yet to hear from government if they are going to the old system where the cutoff point will be pegged at 30 or they will still operate with the existing one like aggregate 40, 42. If it still happens like that, then those who did not qualify for admission into public institutions that we relied on, now because it is free and they will still be qualified, it means that come two years, three years, four years, there will be no private school existing.”

While CHOPSS is worried that the introduction of the policy might push private schools out of business, some groups and political parties have expressed concerns over moves to use the Heritage Fund for the implementation of the policy.

But the Minister of Finance , Ken Ofori-Atta, on Friday indicated that, the fund will not be used to implement the policy.

Speaking to Citi Business News after an event organized by Achimota School as part of its 90th anniversary, Mr. Ofori Atta insisted that government will not finance the project from the Heritage Fund, but promised that details for funding it will be provided in the budget.

“We are financing the Free SHS education without looking at the Heritage Fund. As far as I know the Senior Minister did not say we will finance the Free SHS with the Heritage Fund. He alluded at looking at other options for us to be able to finance the Free SHS,” he said.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE) has described the strike by staff and lecturers of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), over the appointment of a substantive Deputy Rector as unlawful.

A convocation ceremony to elect a Deputy Rector last Thursday, was called off by the acting Registrar, Julius Atikpui, who explained in a letter that the decision was reached in consultation with the Ministry of Education and the National Council for Tertiary Education.

The Executive Secretary for the NCTE, Professor Mohammed Salifu, shed further light on the matter saying the election was called off to enable the Ministry of Education examine a court ruling on the exercise.

Speaking to Citi News, Prof. Salifu clarified that: “Nobody has denied them the opportunity of going through that process. It is just that in these peculiar circumstances, we have a court ruling and we need to be absolutely sure how that court ruling is respected and we are thinking; if they went ahead with the decision, they could take a decision that would impact adversely on what eventually will be decided. You may have a grievance, but the way you go about the grievance can make or unmake your case.”

Prof. Salifu further stressed that, the smooth running of academic activities at GIMPA was a priority of the NCTE, as he condemned the actions of staff that were affecting lectures.

“What we have told management to do is to make sure that academic activity is not interrupted; but it is not everybody who is subscribing to that. One or two people are insisting they are on strike and have not been attending lectures. Even if you go on strike, there is a procedure that you have to follow. You don’t just go for a meeting and after the meeting, you decide that you have declared a strike and you start locking up classrooms. That is completely unlawful.”

Background to lawsuit

Professor Philip Duku Osei, who was the Deputy Rector at GIMPA,  filed a suit at a Madina District Court against the Rector, Chairman of the Council and the Registrar, challenging their decision to declare his position vacant.

Prof Osei argued that he was still at post although reports are that he was appointed in 2014 to serve a two-year term.

His case is anchored on a revision of the statutes of the Council which extended the tenure of the office holder to three years.

Thus, the decision taken by the management of the Institute to call for the election of a new Deputy Rector was premature, given the fact that he still has a year left in his tenure, Prof Osei said.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The Ghana Scholarships Secretariat’s handling of beneficiaries abroad has been called into question again with Ghanaian Government Scholarship Students in China saying they have not received their stipends over the past 12 months.

The students, numbering about 20, in a statement, said they have been left “appallingly demoralized and disheartened” by the fact that they appear to have been abandoned and forgotten by the authorities.

Their concerns come some 12 months after Ghanaian students on government scholarship in Russia, also threatened to embark on a demonstration to demand the payment of their allowance which had stalled months.

In this case, the beneficiaries, Masters’ and Ph.D. students, were awarded by the Scholarship Secretariat of Ghana between the period 2013 and 2017, to pursue postgraduate courses in key areas at universities in China.

“We do not want to believe that we have been forgotten since for over a year no monthly stipend nor book allowance has been sent to us. We are fully aware that there has been a change in government but government business still continues as these allowances were monies which were supposed to be paid in the 2016 budget year,” they said.

Their statement also noted that, they raised similar concerns in February 2016 which was followed by the promise of prompt payment of the monthly stipends by the Scholarship Secretariat of Ghana.

“We, however, regret that till date no monies have been paid us for over a year. We have since had several communications with the Ghana Mission in Beijing seeking to find solutions to some of these challenges but all to no avail. Anytime we contact the two state institutions, the Scholarships Secretariat and the Ghana Mission in Beijing responsible for our upkeep and welfare, the responses we have received are always conflicting, to say the least.”

“Therefore as a group, we have contacted the Scholarship Secretariat seeking official clarification. In response to our request, the Scholarships Secretariat claims that the monies will be released soon, but we are afraid to say that in our current situation that promise seems to have been a lip service as this has been a repeated and deceptive excuse.”

The students reminded that they utilize part of their stipend to help fund their research work.

“As a result, most students are highly constrained in their research work, which if further delayed will not guarantee their timely graduation. We are therefore strongly compelled to draw the attention of our nation through your reputable medium and to appeal to the authorities to take action quickly to especially assuage the headache of those who are working on their projects and those who are about to graduate.”

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The Ghana Scholarship Secretariat has insisted that it has paid over $78,000 to clear outstanding allowances owed Ghanaian students on government scholarships in China.

This is despite Ghanaian Government Scholarship Students in China saying they have not received their stipends over the past 12 months.

The students, numbering about 20, in a statement copied to Citi News said they have been left demoralized as the financial constraints threatened their academic work and possible graduation with their means of livelihood being at the mercy of friends.

In a Citi News interview however,  the Director of the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat, Fuseini Lansah, said he was surprised by the developments; but added that his office could not be blamed for the delays in payment.

He explained that “during the first week of January, we called the bank of Ghana to transfer $78, 000 to cater for three months stipend for regular students, and the 9-month stipend for year-aboard Chinese language students. We have asked the mission to explain because we requested them to confirm receipt of the money and then give us expenditure returns after disbursement; but other missions have confirmed collecting the money.”

“This thing about China came as a surprise. Sometimes it takes time for the money to reach them. So we have asked the mission to give as a clear situation” he added.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The National Service Scheme (NSS) has urged persons who have undertaken their mandatory one-year service yet to register for posting this year.

The scheme in a statement signed by the acting Executive Director, Ussif Mustapha said all defaulters have up to March 17, 2017 to do so.

“The Management of the National Service Scheme (NSS) wishes to announce that eligible Ghanaians who missed the opportunity to do their national service in previous years and now wish to enroll to do the service, have up to Friday, March 17, 2017 to do so.”

It said eligible applicants must submit their application letters to their respective Regional Secretariat.

“Applicants in the Greater Accra Region should, however submit their application letters to the NSS head office in Accra,” the statement said.

“All application letters must be accompanied by introductory or attestation letters, academic certificates or transcripts from accredited tertiary institutions attended, school I.D. cards, and evidence of application for deferment of national service from previous years,” the statement added.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

Basic and second cycle schools in Bimbilla in the Nanumba north district of the Northern region, have resumed school after a week-long break following the chieftaincy conflict that broke out in the area.

Lives and property were lost and many got injured. Basic and second cycle schools in the area closed after violent clashes in the Township that left at least 10 dead.

The situation in Bimbilla is gradually improving, as people are seen going about their normal business. A visit by Citi News to some schools in the Bimbilla Township, saw some teachers busily teaching, though the number of students were not encouraging.

The Assistant Headmaster of one of the schools, attempted an explanation why the numbers were so.

“There is still insecurity in the town that is still holding the students. Some parents have also left the town because of the conflict and so the children themselves are not very certain; and even gathering together in schools, they still have the fears that something might happen. I am sure that is the reason why we don’t have a good number in school. I am the assistant headmaster, and I cannot guarantee the safety of both the master and students, what happened the last time, nobody expected it to happen; and so we cannot be sure that nothing will happen again,” he said.

The Assistant Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in charge of Finance and Administration, W.K Fuseini, said the directorate will be visiting some of the schools, to plead with parents to encourage their wards to go to school.

“I think what we are presently doing is that, we are trying to go around the schools to talk to the teachers, and also get some of the parents to talk to them about the need to let their wards come back to school, because as at now, the situation is calm, people are going to their farms, and stores are opened and everybody is going about their activities.”

“So we are doing all that we can,  because there is heavy security on the ground, and we hope that with the security nothing will happen again.”

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By: Mohammed Aminu M. Alabira/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (COTVET), has held a skills development workshop for stakeholders to update them on the results of the first component of the Ghana Skills and Technology Development Project (GSTDP).

The GSTDP, which comprises four components, aims to achieve improved demand-driven skills development, and increased adoption of new technologies in selected economic sectors for industry, training and research institutions involved in the delivery of skills and technology.

The first component is to strengthen government institutional capacity in planning, coordination, quality assurance and service delivery towards improved quality, relevance, accountability and effectiveness in skills development.

Dr Fred Kyei Asamoah, the COTVET Executive Director, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said the first component of the GSTD had been able to develop about 30 manuals which were being utilised by Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.

He said they had as well developed management information system which covered monitoring and evaluation, quality assurance, and institutional development plan being part of the outcomes of the project.

Dr Kyei Asamoah linked the skills development to government’s one district one factory programme, saying; “The factories could run successfully if there are competent employees who have acquired the requisite skills”.

He said COTVET was working with the Ministry of Trade and Industry to identify the different categories of industries that would be established so that COTVET and its stakeholders would prepare to support them.

He explained that the support would enable the factories to come up with the highest standards of products and services.

Mrs Patricia de Bruijn, the Managing Director of Cadena International, said the 21st-century classroom and workshops covered digital content in a virtual learning environment, harnessing emerging technologies, and Integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) based learning in TVET.

She said the objective was to improve access, relevance and quality of TVET education through the integration of ICT based resources, and the introduction of new technologies combined with practical hands-on education and training.

Speaking on the introduction of smart classrooms for TVET improvement, Mrs de Bruijn said the smart classrooms enhances traditional TVET teaching, teacher performance and delivery, interdisciplinary work, self-paced learning, working on different assignments in small groups and maximising the use of the existing workshops.

The Second Component of the GSTDP project focuses on ‘Institutional Strengthening of Science and Technology Development’; which includes strengthening of planning, management, and coordination of national science, technology and innovation policies and programmes.

The Third Component would highlight ‘Financing of Skills and Technology Development Programmes’ through the Skills Development Fund which had been established with funding from Education Sector Programme, the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and the Ghana Education Trust Fund.

The Fourth Component would target Project Management and Monitoring and Evaluation, to provide effective implementation of the project by establishing a project support unit to assist COTVET and participating ministries for effective co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation.

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Source: GNA

The International Distance Education Centre, (IDEC), has reached an agreement with the University of Leicester to facilitate the delivery of undergraduate and post graduate programmes in Ghana.

The agreement will see IDEC facilitate the University’s programs via distance learning.

IDEC will provide administrative support, marketing and recruitment services for the University, as well as host the learning centre for distance learning students of the University in Ghana.

Dr. Matthew Higgins, Associate Dean of Enterprise and External Relations of the University of Leicester School of Business, said the partnership with IDEC will offer local students convenient and affordable access to international quality education.

“The University of Leicester offers students across the world the opportunity to study via flexible and supported distance learning. We are ranked amongst the top 1% of universities in the world, and we have been offering distance learning programmes in Ghana for over 25 years. Our partnership with IDEC will help us to continue our proud history in Ghana and provide Ghanaians with access to high-quality UK education.”

Mr. Emmanuel Kwashie Agbodzi, Managing Director of IDEC and graduate of the University of Leicester, said distance learning provides an affordable way of studying at a prestigious UK university.

IDEC is committed to supporting local learners, to ensure they receive the best support to enable them to study and continue in their careers.

“We will work with the University of Leicester to facilitate flexible and quality distance education for Ghanaian students. The University is renowned for providing quality distance learning programmes that are anchored on personal coaching and mentoring. These programmes are geared towards academic success and career development, helping students achieve professional excellence. We want to help these students get the best out of their education while studying here in Ghana.”

Ghanaian Students will have the opportunity to study courses such as; the Leicester MBA, MSc Finance, MSc Marketing, MSc HRM & Training, MSc Occupational Psychology of Work and many others under the new agreement.

The University of Leicester is one of the United Kingdom, (UK)’s largest providers of distance learning courses with over 1,000 new distance learners joining each year.

IDEC is an Educational, marketing and consultancy oriented company in Ghana.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Many middle leveled career Ghanaians have lost several opportunities to take up jobs abroad simply because they cannot speak nor understand French. Even more worrying is when other nationals take up job opportunities in Ghana, at the expense of their Ghanaian counterparts for the same reason.

Over the years, the performance of Ghanaian pupils in French has been abysmal with many calling for the study of French to be made compulsory to change the trend.

But at the French and Bilingual International School at East Legon, Ghanaian children and foreign nationals who attended the school’s open day were enamored by the sheer allure of the school’s environment, flexible schedule for play and study, as well as the top notch facilities for studying science, music, ICT among others.

Facilities in the school

The basic level library of the school boasts of 10,600 collections of books. All libraries are digitized.

The school has 6 interactive digital boards, and the science centres in the school boasts of world class scientific gadgets for studies.

Patrons’ impressions

“We see that the older students are involved taking us around. It shows that they enjoy what they have been learning here”

“I am multi-lingual; I speak four languages. What’s unique about the school is we know everyone because of our smaller classrooms; and we have a really good relationship with our teachers. They really help you enjoy studying”, a thirteen grader said.

Ezelle, a fifth grade pupil remarked “I’d loved to be here because I like the environment and I will love to learn how to communicate with others when I travel out of Ghana”.

“I definitely love the environment. This is definitely a good platform to expose my kids to the bilingual environment because these days you can’t just speak English and expect to be ahead because in Ghana we don’t have many places like this. We are definitely considering bringing our kids here” a mother who patronized the open day said.

We are opening up to more Ghanaians – Principal

According to the Principal of the School, Benard Bonville, the school wants to welcome more Ghanaianss.

“Our fees for Ghanaians are lower compared to the other nationalities. We have some grants for very good students; but we have four Ghanaian students who are schooling for free. This is our own way of saying to Ghanaians that we want to help to improve the study of French. It can be difficult for the Ghanaian pupils to speak French from the beginning when we admit them; but step by step, we welcome with English and add some French just for them to adapt to our system”.

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By: Caleb Kudah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

President Nana Akufo-Addo on Tuesday presented his first State of the Nation Address, where he reiterated government’s commitment towards education, with the implementation of the free Senior High School Education being the major focus.

He also reiterated the restoration of allowance for teacher trainees. But what other reforms and developments will the education sector under the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government witness?

The infographic below gives an idea of the changes we can expect.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The New Patriotic Party government may have shifted the goal posts on its free Senior High School promise, the MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has suggested.

Mr. Ablakwa, a former deputy Education Minister believes government would have shortchanged Ghanaians if it fails to implement the Free SHS policy across the board for fresh and continuing students.

President Nana Akufo-Addo himself noted that government would fund the free SHS for all those who qualify for entry from the 2017/2018 academic year onwards.

But speaking to the press, Mr. Ablakwa noted that, “even as recently as 11^th February, you [governent] said all students in SHS. That is why you were voted for; because you know most of the SHS students are 18 years and above so they were looking forward to the free SHS and voted for you but now you are backtracking.”

Thus, Mr. Ablakwa warned that the Minority in Parliament will resist any attempt by government to sideline continuing students in the implementation of the free SHS policy.

“That is why we are stating clearly today that we would hold him accountable to his promises,” the MP said.

Under the free SHS policy, beneficiaries will not have to pay admission fees, library fees, science centre fees, no computer lab fees, no examination fees and no utility fees, President Akufo-Addo has said.

He also assured that there will be free textbooks, free boarding facilities and free meals for boarders whilst day students will get a meal at school for free.

The free SHS policy will also cover agricultural, vocational and technical institutions at the high school level.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

After 60 years of independence, we’re still arguing about the pros and cons of a Free Senior High School education.

An array of comments have been bundled around in the last few weeks since the Chief Executive officer of the land made mention of the introduction of his major campaign message in the last three elections.

Comments that keep me scratching my head. I really don’t care about the arguments watering down the initiative by the One Man Think Tanks.

Moreover, it is alarming when astute senior citizens so-called come out to rubbish such a policy. These are folks who have been around dating back to our independence struggles, passed through our educational system which was free then.

It didn’t make them drug addicts; it didn’t make them armed robbers, and neither did our free education force them into joblessness.

The free education they enjoyed made them diplomats, historians, members of our legislature, ministers, presidents and even captains and senior officers of our once famed Blackstar line.

In that famous or infamous BBC interview (depending on which side of the political divide you sit on) ahead of the 2012 polls, then candidate Nana Addo looked clueless when he was asked about the cost of his headline policy.

In a country where we make political capital about everything including the perceived political affiliation of the skipper of our senior national team (The Black Stars), the naysayers jumped on it, rode on it and practically made it a “useless” joke only to win the polls then turn around to implement what they called a “Progressive Free SHS” with no template.

It was free, yet parents and guardians were paying building fund and PTA dues.

Today, they keep asking how much it will cost us. In effect, they’re saying that a total free Senior High School will drain our coffers. They argue that free Senior High School will dilute the quality of our education. Really?

Last time I checked, we were paying a certain Roland Agambire to teach our youth how to weave basket and how to play drums. Fontomfrom or Atumpan? We are yet to know and see one graduate.

Were they going to be drummers for hire? Interestingly, they never saw that as a joke. Do I have to remind you that a certain so-called financial engineer owes us well over 50 million Ghana cedis?

Throw in SUBA, Construction Pioneers. Oh! And we just committed 14 million dollars; sorry 16 million dollars (when you add VAT) into the construction of an Arabian Sultan’s palace for our vice president and we’re asking corporate Ghana to fund a 4 million dollar budget for our 60th Independence celebration.

Frankly, if we have money for such trivial activities, how dare we question ourselves how much free Senior High School will cost us? For heaven’s sake, we’re sinking money into pretty much useless ventures with no value for money, no work done, we have nothing on the ground to show for and we’re not able to get our money back even when the law is on our side; so why don’t we for once commit into this policy and damn the financial constraint it wil have on our budget?

We’ve had some sort of “wicked” administration in the past, both sides of the political divide regardless of the party in power.

“Six kindergarten pupils of the Breman Gyambra Methodist KG School died painfully after their dilapidated classroom block collapsed. According to an eyewitness, there were visible cracks on the classroom building.” (Citi FM, Jan 31 2017).

Citi FM’s Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie described another heart wrenching story of “twin brothers in the Ashanti Region, who both graduated with distinction from JHS; but couldn’t further their education because of poverty. The youngest of the twin, Attah, decided to come to Accra to be a drivers’ mate so he could raise money to go to school. But today, Atta is dead.

He died from an accident whiles working on a ‘VIP Bus’ as a mate” …..so such a brilliant but needy pupil was struggling just to fund his Senior High School education yet we gave out a fortune to Roland Agamberi’s Asongtaba Cottage Industry to teach our youth how to play Atumpan and Fontomfrom.

Will we ever get our priorities right as a country? There are hundreds of similar stories. What has been our reaction as a people, as a community and as a country? We share some crocodile tears and that is it.

Even when I wasn’t a naturalized U.S citizen, my first two years in college was 100 percent free for the sheer reason that my father pays taxes.

Together with my elder brother, we didn’t have to pay a dime till our 3rd and final year.

My two younger brothers just like every high school student in the United States, payed zero in high school.

The 3rd is in his 3rd year in college, whiles the last one graduates high school this summer, but we didn’t have to part with a fortune for our education.

To those who continue to sing the chorus of cost, why can’t we finance free Senior High School when we live in a country that taxation is possible?
My senior brother works with the biggest auto maker in California; I find myself in one of the media houses in San Francisco doing what I love most and probably the one thing that I know how to do best; my younger brother attending California State University East Bay, is looking at graduating with a degree in Sports management next Summer, and our last born is looking at majoring in Sports medicine.

Therefore what’s the basis that a free education system compromises quality? Again, the last time I checked, the U.S treasury Department isn’t broke because of basically free education from elementary to college level. Before you dismiss my point, remember that the United States is a country of over 350 million plus population and we’re just 1/14th of that size. Why can’t we do same?

This problem of quality can never be addressed even if we charge a Paul Pogba transfer fee just to attend a Senior High School. We must be solving it from the pre Senior High School level.

We need to get it right at the basic level. This business of WAEC conducting BECE must be stopped. Abolish the BECE, and pass laws that will force Junior High School graduates to attend only the Senior High Schools located within their catchment area.

For the effective implementation of the policy, there should be some sort of equality across board. Equality in terms of amenities and human resource in the schools.

Once the BECE system is halted, the boy that attends Abrobe Ano Municipal Assembly Junior high wouldn’t need aggregate 6 to get into ST. Augustine’s college. That brilliant girl that attends the best private School in Shama will be mandated to attend Shama Secondary rather than attending Archbishop Porter Girls Secondary or even Holy Child in Cape Coast.

Besides making Senior High Schools accessible, we need to make a conscious effort to improve the delivery of education in the country.

In anticipation of record numbers of students attending, by virtue of it being free, we have to expand the existing educational facilities and improve the conditions of our teachers.

From my little corner, we can achieve these without spending a fortune. We can easily improve and expand existing structures practically for free.

In my opinion, the era of GETFUND contractors putting up educational facilities should be scrapped. Instead of spending tens of thousands of Ghana cedis on paying these contractors, why don’t we draft in our Technical Educational Institutions both at the secondary and tertiary levels?

Faculties and departments from the Takoradi Technical Institute to Sunyani Polytechnic are churning out welders, plumbers, masons, steel benders, draft-men etc year in and year out.

Should it be a problem to have the students and instructors renovate and build new structures on our Senior High School premises as part of their studies and most importantly project work?

What is the rationale behind taking a bus owned by Kumasi Technical Institute to Suame Magazine for repairs when the school itself is training mechanics?

We can even feed them whiles on the job and still the budget for these projects will be 10 times lower than our traditional ways of undertaking such projects.

If this can’t be the best on the job training then I’m sorry our Technical Education Institutions need to be shut down.

We can literally have labor for free. Let’s expand this to include our National Service personnel.

Instead of posting that graduate who read building technology, construction and civil engineering to a classroom to teach; we can equally have them work on these projects.

When the President talked about the policy covering the total amount of admission fees and other related charges, I hope he knows that will include free school uniforms, outing dresses, house dresses and P.E kits.

Are we going to continue the tradition of importing them from China? I have just one question to that effect. What’s the use of our Vocational schools? There are lot of cost cutting we can do in the implementation of the free Senior High School.

The next necessity is funding. This should be pretty easy at least based on the goodwill of corporate Ghana. During the hearings after our 2014 world cup fiasco, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah was on the record that the Ministry of Youth and Sports raised GH¢4,509,635 from corporate entities and individuals to send supporters to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

Again, in less than a week after the President announced the $4 million budget for the Ghana at 60 celebrations and requesting funding from corporate Ghana, Unibank has made a donation of Ghc 300,000 and more corporate bodies are expected to follow.

It is clear that corporate Ghana never fails us. If VRA in the middle of our worse “dumsor” in 2014, could contribute to funds to take supporters to Brazi,l then Halleluyah “ye nyi problem koraa.”

We can do more of such appeal for fund. However, instead of asking corporate Ghana for the funding for such noble cause, maybe we can ask corporate Ghana to channel the funds directly into these projects.

We can go further than doing these appeals for fund. As part of the tax cut the administration intends to provide to Ghanaian firms like GREDA, maybe we can ask GREDA to build affordable houses for the Ghanaian teacher with flexible mortgage arrangement whiles the government acts as a guarantor.

Instead of encouraging Ghana Oil (GOIL) and other Petroleum marketers to contribute to such trivial activities; why don’t we ask them to keep their funding and instead fuel the Ghanaian teacher’s car for free for a period of time? The options are endless.

Implementing Free Senior High School should never be an issue of money. We’ve dissipated the national coffers, looted the mineral deposits in the form of galamsey operators “we import” from China.

In truth, we have nothing left for the next generation. Even before they’re born, we’ve piled debt on their heads. Debts that they have no idea of.

Honestly, we have no jobs for them. We therefore owe them the implementation of an efficient Free Senior High School education that will outlive our generation and cushion theirs.

We need to do everything in our power to stop the influx of Ghanaian youth on our street selling dog chains and PK chewing gums just because they couldn’t further their education.

This voodoo about the cost of this policy needs to be discarded once and for all, and damn the consequence of the effect it will have on our finances as a country.

After all, politicians have never changed regardless of which side of the political divide they sit.

A stand-up man that ventures into politics is likely to stay true to his conscience and integrity.

A corrupt politician that masquerades around like a wolf in a sheep’s skin will automatically bleed us.

I say let’s take our chances. Instead of spending our kitty on Brazil Akwantuo, Senchi Summit, Ghana at 60 and the potential ones waiting on the wings; I’ll support any administration that wouldn’t mind to sink 50 percent of our GDP into free SHS; after all, besides wasting it on the aforementioned trivialities, public officers will steal, we’ll pay judgement debt and we’ll service loans with it.

By: Frederick Larsen/ fredericklarsen65@gmail.com

Fremont, California

Heads of schools have been advised against engaging in intense evangelization during worship hours in schools.

Most public schools in Ghana participate in an act of collective worship every week which is broadly Christian in nature.

However, stakeholders have in recent times raised concerns over the abuse of the worship periods. Issues to do with the imposition offertory, intensive deliverance services and other activities eating into instructional hours have raised eyebrows among stakeholders.

Speaking on behalf of the Volta Regional Director of Education, Mr. Mawusi Buadi, at a Pencil of Promise stakeholder engagement, the Regional Public Relations Officer, Forgive Agoha, bemoaned the act describing it as more of evangelism than education.

He said the 30 minute-worship period should provide an ideal time for life coaching and reflections on moral and ethical values that also make the section all-inclusive.

“We have the timetable to guide ourselves and as far as the service is concerned we strictly go by the time allocated for each activity. So they shouldn’t go beyond the time allocated. Even during that period, a teacher can be given the opportunity to educate the pupils on personal hygiene and keeping the environment clean. They can invite Guidance and Counselling coordinator at the education office to take the children career coaching and mentoring” he stated

The stakeholder meeting organised by Pencils of Promise; a Non-Governmental Organisation committed to improving the quality of education in Ghana is to among other things deliberate on churning out morally upright students by adhering to best practices in ensuring discipline among school children.

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By: King Nobert Akpabli/citifmonline.com/Ghana

An 18-year-old daughter of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante Akyem Central Constituency, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, has allegedly committed suicide at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The deceased, Adwoa Agyarkwa Anyimadu-Antwi, a first-year student, is believed to have hanged herself on Friday morning, [February 24, 2017].

Citi News’ Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Lauretta Timah, who confirmed the incident, said the lifeless body of the young lady has since been deposited at the KNUST Hospital morgue.

The late Adwoa Agyarkwa Anyimadu-Antwi, was found lifeless with a rope around her neck hung to her room’s ceiling.

A journalist with KNUST’s Focus FM, Edward Oppong Marfo, said residents of Independence Hall, where the deceased took her life this morning were devastated after news of the incident was reported.

Although the reason for her act is yet to be known, Edward Oppong Marfo said some of her friends said she had lamented over the past week that she was not performing well academically as expected by her parents.

The late chemical engineering student reportedly left a note that read, “am sorry to disappoint you mummy and daddy”.

School authorities and the police are yet to comment on the matter.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @jnyabor

The Eastern Regional Minister, Eric Kwakye Darfour, has promised to ensure that the University of Environment and Sustainable Development at Somanya in the Eastern Region, is completed by the Akufo-Addo government.

He said “the university is a very good initiative that will benefit people of the Eastern region and other regions in the country as students residing in other regions will also apply for admission to be enrolled in the university. I therefore pledge to ensure its speedy completion and full enrollment in no time because education is very dear to my heart.”

Eric Kwakye Darfour called for unflinching support from the staff to make sure that programs and policies of the central government are implemented successfully.

The Eastern Regional Minister told the workers to make sure that their partisan affiliation does not affect their work.”

“I admit we cannot all belong to the same political party; but for the sake of the development of our country and the Eastern Region let us put aside our differences and work towards a common goal.”

For his part, the Chief Director of the Regional Coordinating Council, Mr. Randolph Korzie Sambo, assured the minister of the staff’s support to deliver on his mandate and to realize his vision for the region.

He said ” I assure you that we will work tirelessly in unity to help contribute our quota to bring development to the Eastern Region and the country as a whole”

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

Professor Samuel Adams, the Acting Rector of Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), on Friday advised students of the Public Sector Management Training Programme to study hard and uphold the value of the institute.

He challenged the students to study hard and impact positively the knowledge to be acquired to improve efficiency in the public sector in their respective countries.

The countries include Ghana, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and Liberia and the programme was designed to equip Anglophone West Africa countries with a critical mass of public sector managers trained to provide effective leadership for meeting the developmental challenges in their various countries.

“You need to have a vision in preparation of the programme because that would drive your aspiration to succeed and you need to broaden your horizon and expand your experiences for the course to make you better,” he said.

He said the public sector played a critical role in effective administration of any country and it was imperative for them to harness and integrate their skills to be change ambassadors as far as reforms in the sector was concerned.

Prof. Adams said GIMPA had trained more than 400 students through the programme since its inception in 2010 and expressed the hope that participants, at the end of the course, would contribute to the collective pursuit of sustainable development and poverty reduction on the African Continent.

Mrs Naomi Omani Marbell, the Class President of the programme, commended GIMPA for hosting them as well as the ACBF for the funding and pledged their commitment to adhere to the rules of the institute for the success of the course to make an impact on Africa.

“We expect an interactive session with the lectures as we gain new knowledge to build the needed capacity in the civil service in West Africa.

“We hope to learn from each other and widen our horizon to face emerging challenges on the African Continent and contribute our quota in our respective countries for development,” she said.

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Source: GNA

Family Health Medical School, a private medical school in Ghana has held its second matriculation ceremony for its 2nd batch of Medical Students.

The ceremony, which took place at the school’s campus at Teshie, saw a total of thirty-three students taking the matriculation oath and officially admitted to pursue various medical programs.

The President of the School, Professor Enyonam Yao Kwawukume, urged the freshmen to be focused and determined in their pursuit of academic excellence.

He said the students must take advantage of all the remarkable facilities at the school so as to grow personally and intellectually.

“I know you have what it takes to excel here in the years ahead of you. I would, therefore, urge you all to make good use of your time by studying hard and attending lectures, you should also take your assignments seriously,” he added.

He announced that the school Cardiothoracic Unit, with an Intensive Care Unit would soon be completed to make the school the first Private hospital in a private institution to perform Open Heart Surgeries in Ghana and the sub-region.

The guest speaker at the matriculation ceremony, and Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Ebenezer Oduro Owusu called on the government to consider empowering private medical schools to train more doctors to augment the efforts of the various public medical schools in the country, to meet the current health needs of the country.

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By: Kojo Agyemang/citifmonline.com/Ghana