“Frequent changes have adverse effects on education”

THE Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) say constant changes in the national educational policies have adversely affected the efficient delivery of the sector.
They said there is, “therefore, the need to urgently develop a blueprint on education that sets out all-time priorities to be achieved.”
The two bodies also called for the institution of a two-year compulsory national service scheme for all newly trained teachers to serve in rural areas, adding that 40 per cent of the salaries of the teachers should be paid as incentives in that direction.
“There should not be any selective treatment and each community should assure the posting authorities of adequate living accommodation for the service persons,” the General Secretary of GNAT, Mrs Irene Duncan-Adanusah, said this at a news conference in Accra yesterday to announce the GNAT/TEWU policy recommendations on achieving Education For All (EFA).
The policy, according to the two groups, seeks to address the gaps that affect the provision of quality public education, among other things.
Mrs Duncan-Adanusah said the release of annual budgets for the sector should be timely and called for efficient implementation procedures to be put in place.
She said the Capitation Grant must be increased to reflect the current economic trends, saying that the grant must also be released early and regularly to ensure smooth academic work.
She said frequent changes in the school curriculum without a corresponding in-service training for teachers and the provision of logistics needed to be addressed.
“To attract and retain qualified teachers, personal emolument of teachers should be made more attractive than those of their counterparts in the public service. In addition to ensuring competitiveness within the sector, performance-related benefits must be introduced,” she stated.
Mrs Duncan-Adanusah indicated that the retraining or in-service training programmes for teachers and educational workers should be regularly undertaken as a means of updating their skills.
She said infrastructure for schools needed to be improved upon to enhance the sense of pride of both teachers and students, adding that “many schools do not have basic facilities.”
She said the role of the School Health Education Programme co-ordinators should be well defined and should include managing the implementation of reproductive health education within schools.
Mrs Duncan-Adanusah said the teacher-community relationship should be improved, and that communities should be sensitised to assist teachers.
“It is desirable that each of these components should have its qualitative and quantitative aspects provided in order to realise the objectives of any educational system. In addition, each stakeholders should perform their proper roles to ensure effective and efficient educational system,” she said.