Teachers say they have been left without an option but to resort to improvisation to enable them to impart knowledge to students under their tutelage.
This is because the government has failed to provide Teaching and Learning Materials (TLMs), Capitation Grants and other necessary services and materials that would enhance teaching and learning at the various schools across the country.
Speaking on A1 Radio’s Day Break Upper East Show, the Upper East Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) explained that teachers have had to come up with ingenious ways of addressing the deficits in the education system.
This, she said leads to the demotivation of teachers.
“We all know that there is a reform going on. We are the drivers of the reform yet I can tell you that TLMs to drive the reform to reality are not there. We have always said that we do not have textbooks. We do not only teach from [resource] packs. Our students also need to follow us as we teach. Our students need to do homework and class exercises from the textbooks; these are not available. We are professionals and so when we speak, we expect that people would listen to us and give us what we need to be able to perform our duties.”
The Regional Secretary of GNAT explained that GNAT had through various platforms, fora and meetings with the government and its implementing agency; GES, mentioned the problems but nothing had been done about it.
“The teacher is getting frustrated,” she added.
Read Also:
- UER: GNAT unhappy about undue delays in teacher promotions
- Raise salaries to meet inflation rates – GNAT UER Secretary to govt
Background
Background
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) says the country’s pre-tertiary education sector is in dire crisis and needs to be salvaged as soon as possible.
Deputy General Secretary for GNAT, in Charge of Education and Professional Development, Kwame Dagbandow, said this in a Keynote address delivered on his behalf by Palham Oyeye, at the launch of the Global Action Week for Education (GAWE) on Monday.
He lamented that many issues have confronted the sector making it a shadow of its former self.
Mr. Dagbandow explained that capitation funds used to facilitate primary education for every child have been in arrears since 2019.
The situation, according to him, has forced many heads of public schools to operate on credit.
“Since 2019, this is the most pathetic one, which breaks some of us down. The capitation grant has been in arrears and we have our education in crisis.
The Deputy General Secretary also reiterated the lack of textbooks since the introduction of the new curriculum by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA).
Describing the situation as pathetic, Mr. Dagbandow said the issue has made education more expensive for pupils in public schools since the provision of books has been left to “education business individuals.”
“This is a tragedy in our education delivery in Ghana. Let us be reminded that education as we Unions will term it, is not a commodity and must not be for sale to the highest bidder nor should it be privatized.
“Education is a public good and it must be enjoyed by all,” he stated.
Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
