Address Barriers to New Educational reforms- B/A GNAPS Chairman

The Chairman of Ghana Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), Brong- Ahafo Chapter, Nana Kwadwo Kwakyie II, has stressed that the implementation of the new educational reform programme, next academic year, may be fraught with obstacles if decisive steps are not taken to address some crucial bottlenecks in the over all educational system in the country.

According to the chairman who is also the Managing Director of Infant Jesus School complex in Sunyani, the teacher forms the single most important component in the quest to transform the face of education in the country, and that there is a need for efforts aimed at the transformation and re-orientation of the teacher in attitude, in academic performance and in methodology.

The GNAPS chairman said the general conditions of service for teachers should be lucrative enough to attract the right caliber of personnel into the service, adding that “GNAPS believes that the time has come for the country to recognize that a bold and decisive step forward should be taken to enable her realize the aim of transforming the country into a middle income status”.

The Chairman, who is also a Traditional Ruler, who was granting audience to journalists in Sunyani, advised that constant threat of strikes and boycotts by teachers should be eradicated since such actions tend to turn back the wheel of progress and destroy the job satisfaction which encourage teachers to give their best.

“Strikes waste the precious time that should be used in learning. The proposed implementation in September, 2007 of the New Educational Reform programme makes it imperative to remove any impediments that may tend to prevent the programme from achieving the desire goals and objectives”, he urged.

On morality the GNAPS Chairman pointed out that it is key for public office holders.

He observed that the issue of morality, linked to the performance of duty by public officials is justified.

He explained that morality, which could either be in the form of corruption or sexual misconduct, could, to some extent, undermine one’s ability to live above reproach.

“The issue of morality has two faces; one is the person’s private life and the other is the morality linked with his or her official duties” he noted.

Nana Kwakyie intimated that although the constitution guaranteed the rights of every individual, society in general frowns upon morally weak officials.

“If you are morally weak, you feel embarrassed, since people tend to point fingers at you. You might even suffer room psychological imbalances,” he pointed out.