Category: Education

Mr Wisdom Kwame Adeti, Headmaster of Anlo Senior High School (ANSECO) at Anloga, has appealed to the contractor working on the school’s dining hall and kitchen facilities to urgently complete the project for use.?

The temporary kitchen structure collapsed during a heavy rainstorm on Tuesday, April 23.

Information available to Ghana News Agency (GNA) suggested that since the commencement of the dining hall and kitchen project in 2012, the school kitchen had been operating under a temporary shed with students dining under the shed made of iron sheets and woods.

The?headmaster made the appeal when a team of top officials from the Anloga District Assembly and National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) visited the school Thursday to ascertain the level of damage caused by Tuesday’s windstorm.

He said the appeal had become very necessary because it was now very difficult for the school to cook for its students since the temporary kitchen had been destroyed.?

Among structures in the school damaged includ
ed the sports pavilion, two boys’ and girls’ dormitories, school garage, house mistress’ bungalow, Arts studio, Agriculture and ICT laboratory, which all?had parts or entire roofs removed.

Mr Adeti stressed his call in an appeal sighted by GNA Friday, copied to the District Chief Executive (DCE), Member of Parliament, Ghana Education Service and other stakeholders, urging them to get the contractor back to site.

‘We are appealing to your high offices to prevail upon the contractor working on the dining hall/kitchen project since 2012 to complete the facility for us to protect our kitchen staff and students from the vagaries of the weather.’

Investigations proved that the project, currently about 75 percent complete, stalled after the construction firm in charge (Vappy Limited) raised some contractual agreements to be completed before?the actual completion of works on the project.

Mr Seth Yormewu, DCE of Anloga, promised the headmaster that he would act on the matter.

‘I have seen the situation myself and
something must be done. I will quickly engage the people in charge to see how we can contact the contractor so this work can be completed and handed over to the school for use.’

? Other ongoing stalled projects in the school include a 10-seater toilet facility, computer laboratory and 12-unit boys’ and girls’ dormitories.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Renovation works have commenced at the Gundork primary school in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region, following a Ghana News Agency (GNA) report on the deplorable state of the school’s structure.

Earlier this month, GNA reported about the poor state of the school’s structure, which had its front pillars, particularly from classes one to three, destroyed, exposing iron rods and endangering the lives of students and teachers.

This caught the attention of Mr Jacob Soung Zurobire, Deputy Director, Judicial Training Institute of the Judiciary Service of Ghana, in charge of the training needs of judges and the Judicial Service’s staff, who contributed GH?3,200 for the fixing of the pillars.

‘You (GNA) broke out a story about the Gundork primary school, and considering the fact that the children’s lives are endangered, and as someone who also came from those schools to become a lawyer, I asked the Assemblyman of the area to get the estimates of materials needed for my consideration to save the lives of t
he children.

‘He got back with the estimate consisting of bags of cement and wood, costing about GH?3,100 and so I made a donation of GH?3,200 to fix the problem,’ the Legal Practitioner told the GNA in an interview.

The renovation work, when completed, would make the school again a safe environment for academic activities and possibly prevent any possible collapse of the school.?

He called on other residents of the community to offer support to others in need even before they were satisfied.

‘I advise all of you to support others in need before you get satisfied. Do not get satisfied before you help another person, and by doing so, we can live together and grow together as a community,’ he added.

Mr Isaac Wulug, the Assemblyman of the Zanlerigu Dagliga Electoral Area, who is spearheading the renovation, received the money and thanked the lawyer for his kind gesture in saving the lives of the children.

He explained that the amount would cover the renovation of the pillars; however, the windows and doors
of the school also needed to be fixed, and therefore called on the government and other residents of the community to come to the aid of the school.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Dr. Godwin Kofi Ahlijah, President, High Skies College in Tema, has attributed the high rate of unemployment in Ghana to the country’s non-skill-based educational system.

Dr. Ahlijah said because students were often trained in how to take exams and pass rather than the practical aspect of work when they graduate, it was difficult for them to get employment and fit into industries.

He said: ‘Graduates from our universities either are not relevant in the industry where they are needed, or they can’t do anything for themselves. This graduate unemployment thing shouldn’t have been an issue if we were training them to know how to begin their businesses.’?

He said this during the maiden congregation of the college, which is an affiliate of the University of Cape Coast.

Six graduated with Masters’ degrees, and 10 with diplomas.

Dr Ahlijah described the system of education in Ghana as ‘the awkward style of education’ and said it was the bane of the country’s development, as students are trained to be good exam t
akers who have a lot of knowledge and brilliant when taking exams but found wanting when it comes to implementing the same knowledge in the industry.

He explained that there were three levels of education, with the first being the knowledge base, where the learner is asked to memorise and define things, and the second being application, and then synthesis, where the learner can transport knowledge from one field to another.

He said for a change to occur, it must start with the schools, where they needed to reorient the learners on companies and opportunities instead of asking them to produce verbatim things in their books.

He indicated that such teaching practices and curriculum had led to a disconnect between academia and businesses, making graduates unfit for work.

According to him, there are a lot of business opportunities that are yet to be tapped in Ghana that people must be encouraged to go into instead of waiting for non-existing jobs.

The High Skies College President bemoaned the high-interest ra
te banks charge on loans, which he said also served as a hindrance on the path of graduates from becoming entrepreneurs.

‘If you look around, the interest rate today is almost 30 percent. Who can take money at that rate and do anything meaningful with it? That is where the government is expected to give some tax breaks to push people to create jobs,’he said.

? Dr. Philip Ankamafio Mensah, the Council Chairman of High Skies, urged students to make good use of artificial intelligence tools to enhance their knowledge and skill acquisition.

He said students, in doing so, must also have the necessary knowledge in whatever field they want to apply it to instead of being lazy and just downloading things without even acknowledging the source.

He encouraged graduates to always gain experience with the things they had learned, noting that learning is continuous not only in the classroom but also on the field.?

Source: Ghana News Agency

The All Nations University at Koforidua has held its 21st matriculation ceremony with 683 students for the 2023/2024 academic year.

Out of the total number, there were 221 males and 462 females offering various diploma and degree programmes.

The matriculation oath was administered to the students by Madam Christabel Odame, the Acting Registrar of the University, after which Professor Samuel Donkor, the President of the University officially accepted them into the school.

Prof. Donkor said the University was built on the pillars of academic excellence, total personality development, innovative spirit, and a commitment to training leaders who were prepared to face the challenges of their times and find solutions to advance their generation and beyond.

He urged the students to set clear goals and deadlines for themselves to meet academic time limit and still have time to engage in extra-curricular life on or off campus.

‘Setting clear goals and drawing a personal timetable will serve as a valuable guide to
prioritise and maximise your time,’ he said.

The University has a Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences faculty that provides programmes such as the Bachelor of Science (BSc) in General Nursing and the BSc in Emergency Medicine Technology.

It also provides a broad spectrum of undergraduate and graduate programmes in areas like oil and gas engineering, electronic and communications engineering, business administration, biblical studies, and computer science.

The graduate programmes offered an array of options, including MBA Accounting, Human Resources Management, Finance, Hospital Management, Information Technology, MPhil Business Administration, MPhil Theology and MSc Cyber Security.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Sierra Leone’s Minister for Transport and Aviation Rtd. Alhaji Fanday Turay will take over the Chancellorship of the Regional Maritime University from Mr Ebrima Sillah from The Gambia in June 2024.

The role of Chancellor is rotated among the five Member States (Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone) every two years.

The University Management welcomed a delegation from Sierra Leone on a fact-finding mission ahead of the official induction of Rtd. Col. Turay as the new Chancellor of the University.

The delegation was led by the Deputy Minister of Transport and Aviation of Sierra Leone, Mr Rex Bhonapha together with the Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, Mr Paul Soba Massaquoi, and Senior Technical Advisor, Ministry of Transport and Aviation, Dr Albert Forde.

Dr Jethro W. Brooks, the Ag. Vice Chancellor of the RMU assured the delegation of a smooth transition.

He urged the incoming Chancellor to endeavour to maintain unity among the Member States and the Univers
ity community while leading by example in terms of support to the RMU, essentially in the area of contribution payment.

Dr Baboucarr Njie, the Registrar of the RMU, who doubles as the Secretary to the Board of Governors said the visit was important in ensuring a successful takeover.

He explained that the Chancellor would be available for the Committee of Experts Meeting, and the Board of Governors Meeting, where the handing over ceremony would be held, and would subsequently preside over the meetings as well as lead the Congregation ceremony.

He reiterated RMU’s commitment to providing the new Chancellor with the necessary support to succeed.

Mr Bhonapha commended the University Management for their efforts towards growth, adding that the three-day visit was also to inquire about the role of the Chancellor and address the challenges of the university.

Mr Paul Soba Massaquoi, the Executive Director of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, extended appreciation to the University for maintaining a cordial r
elationship among Member States and stakeholders over the years.

‘It is a pleasure to be here and looking forward to a very successful engagement that would provide clarity on our roles and adequately brief the new Chancellor to ensure a successful reign,’ he added.

The delegation on Friday, April 26, 2024, visited and toured some facilities of the University and engage in further deliberations before departing on Saturday, April 27, 2024.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) across the country are convinced that Ghana’s education is on the path of progress and transformation with the level of investments made in the sector since 2017.

They are also certain that the sector is in capable hands under the leadership of Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum who is changing the mindset of stakeholders to embrace 21st century education as a tool for accelerated development.

The MMDCEs expressed these sentiments after a comprehensive presentation by the Minister on the progress made in the education sector since the New Patriotic Party (NPP) resumed office seven years ago.

The goal was to equip the representatives of the President at the local level with the achievements of the Government in education to enable them tell the success stories and also explain the innovative policies being pursued by the Ministry to improve education in Ghana.

The Minister’s presentation touched on investments made at all levels of the educational structure,
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.

With the aid of a PowerPoint presentation, Dr. Adutwum walked the MMDCEs through what the Ministry had been doing across the country with pictorial and video evidence to bring them up to speed with the paradigm shift in the sector.

To demonstrate how learning outcomes under the current administration had significantly improved at both basic and second cycle levels, he showed the participants both figures and statistics which put the NPP miles ahead of its predecessors.

He also spoke about deliberate policy interventions which targets holistic training of students to be relevant in the global community as the world shift towards the fourth industrial revolution.

The MMDCEs who were obviously amazed by the massive achievements and the vision to transform education in the country, applauded the Minister and his team for a great job done.

Some of them who spoke to the media a
fter the engagement attested to the fact that despite being part of the government, they were not privy to a lot of the information shared by the Minister.

They said much as they were aware of the strides being made by the Government in the education sector, the engagement with the Minister had made them appreciate the direction where Ghana was heading even better.

‘I am overwhelmed by what the Minister and his team has been doing at the Ministry having listened to the presentation he made,’ Mr. Francis Oti Boateng, the District Chief Executive for Asante-Akim North, stated.

He said STEM education was one of the brilliant policies ever introduced in Ghana by any government and urged Ghanaians to embrace it to change the face of education in the country.

‘Our quest to break the eight largely depends on the work of people like Dr. Adutwum and so if we really want to achieve that target, he should be considered for the running mate slot,’ Mr. Eric Tetteh, Municipal Chief Executive for Yilo Krobo, submitted.

D
r. Adutwum said the engagement was to keep the MMDCEs updated with what the Government had accomplished in the education sector as key actors who directly deal with citizens at the local level.

‘In as much as with think they know what is going on, it also important to bring them together and show them what the Government has done elsewhere so they appreciate the development beyond their jurisdictions,’ the Minister explained.

He said in addition to creating access and equity for Ghanaian children, the Ministry was also working towards the creation of more high performing schools to eliminate the phenomenon where every parent wants their wards to attend certain schools.

‘We are affiliating new schools with existing high performing schools and our goal is to make sure that high performing schools will be able to mentor the new schools so that in no time, they will also become high performing schools.

The Minister used the opportunity to clarify that it was only the new buildings being put up with new design
s that were being painted blue and white to make them stand out, and not all public schools as being circulated in the media.

Agencies under the Ministry as part of the engagement took turns to present their activities.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Nasco Feeding Minds, a non-governmental organisation, has launched the Nasco Code Academy as part of its mission to champion digital literacy in underserved areas.

The Academy was launched at Sawla in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region, with the aim to providing a year’s intensive training to equip beneficiaries with skills to meet demands of the digital industry.

Another Nasco Code Academy was launched early this month at Techiman in the Bono Region.

Its comprehensive curriculum promises a transformative experience where graduates would emerge competitive with skills of highly sought-after programming.

Graduates of the Academy are expected to be more than just consumers of technology, empowered to craft solutions that tackle local challenges.

Representatives of directors of education, local government officials, head teachers, parents and other stakeholders attended the launch.

Mr Banasco Nuhu Seidu, the Executive Director, Nasco Feeding Minds, said; ‘Nasco Code Academy is not just ab
out equipping young people with technical skills. It is about empowering them to become active participants in the global tech revolution.’

Launching the code academy was the NGO’s leap in its operations to bridge the digital divide and prepare the next generation of Ghanaian tech leaders, he said.

Nasco Feeding Minds, over a decade, had been committed to serving deprived communities with 17 ICT centres built across the country to offer basic computer skills training to the youth.

‘Ghana’s tech sector is hungry for skilled professionals, and the Nasco Code Academy is here to bridge the gap. This initiative goes beyond routine memorisation. It fosters a culture of innovation and problem-solving,’ Mr Nuhu Seidu said.

He expressed optimism that providing quality digital education to the youth would help mitigate poverty and forced migration crisis.

The Nasco Feeding Minds, through the Code Academy, would prepare the youth in coding and software engineering skills and assign them to various companies to work
, he noted.

Sawla Wura Abdulai Nugbaso, the Chief of Sawla, lauded the initiative and encouraged beneficiaries to seize the opportunity to become masters of the field to earn a living with the skills acquired.

He pledged to support in any way possible to complement the efforts of the NGO.

Mr Wilfred Yelelagee, who spoke on behalf of the Sawla District Director of Education, said the Nasco Feeding Minds had been committed to improving education in the region, which was worth emulating.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The 2022-year batch of the Coalition of Unemployed Trained Teachers from 46 public Colleges of Education has appealed to the government to fulfill its promise of automatic postings for graduate teachers.

The coalition, at a press conference in Tamale on Tuesday, said: ‘Automatic posting as it is widely known, is a norm for every batch or group from the Colleges of Education.

‘We, the first batch of the newly introduced Bachelor of Education Degree programme, have been ignored and left to our fate. It saddens us as pioneers of a new programme, who have equally met all the requirements for postings to still be at home by this time.’

Mr Mohammed Murtala, President, Coalition of Unemployed Trained Teachers, who read the statement on behalf of the group at the press conference, said the development had become dire to the extent that most of the members of the coalition, who out of frustration, decided to apply for private schools, were rejected with the notion that government would soon employ them.

The statem
ent said: ‘There is a looming danger in the education sector if we are not employed immediately because the 2023-year group is currently doing their national service. So, if we are not recruited immediately, there is a possibility of creation of blockage in the sector.’

It said since 2018 when the National Service and Licensure Examinations were introduced in the Colleges, no trained and licensed teacher had remained unemployed and wondered why the 2022-year group after satisfying all the requirements, had remained home.

It said the group on February 21, 2024, released its first press statement and followed it with a letter to the Ghana Education Service, copied to the Ministry of Education on the February 29, 2024, but there was no response.

The statement said, ‘This made us resort to another press release on the 15th of March 2024. This time, there was a swift response, and a formal meeting was held with the Ghana Education Service on the 22nd of March 2024.’

It added, ‘We were assured that the portal f
or recruitment would be opened in April, this year. Shockingly to us, we are in the tail end of April yet there is no single message or information concerning our postings. To say we are in disarray and perturbed will be an understatement.’

It emphasised that, ‘In the interest of the Ghanaian learners, who are anxiously waiting for their Common Core Teachers, and the interest of the Ghanaian taxpayers, whose taxes were used in training us, we want the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education to do the needful and fulfill their duties by recruiting us at the end of this month.’

It added that, ‘We also expect that provisions be made in advance for our colleagues with resit. Otherwise, we will hit the streets to register our displeasure.’

Members of the coalition during the press conference held placards with inscriptions such as ‘Why Implement a New Curriculum and Delay the Postings of the Pioneers’, ‘We Cannot Continue to Depend on Our Parents’, ‘Post us Now’, ‘Four Years of Intensive Studies,
One year of Mandatory National Service and Successfully Passing Licensure Exams, but Yet Unemployed,’ among others.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Management of the Ho Technical University says it is not aware of any attempts to rename the University.

It said the Vice-Chancellor had neither been invited to nor participated in any meeting or event regarding renaming of the University.

Dr Christopher K. Ameh??, Registrar of the University, in a statement noted that Management of the University received a letter dated April 20, 2024, addressed to the Vice-Chancellor and signed by the Secretary to the Asogli State Council on behalf of the Council.

The release said the letter was presented by a delegation of chiefs and people of Asogli, led by Togbe Adzie Lakle Howusu XII, on Monday, April 22, 2024.

It said the Management had also taken note of a press conference held by the traditional leaders prior to the presentation of their letter to the University.

The release said Management had initiated steps to engage with the Council to address any concern regarding the matter in the interest of ensuring the peace and progress of the University.

However,
the Minority in Parliament has described attempts by the government to rename the University after a Ghanaian composer, Ephraim Amu as illegal.

Source: Ghana News Agency