Educationist says schools need more infrastructures

Techiman, Feb 15, GNA - Mr Kwabena Fosu-Gyeabour, Techiman Municipal Director of Education, has called on district assemblies and other stakeholders to help solve problems facing the Ghana Education Service offices in their areas.

He said the introduction of the Capitation Grant had increased enrolment at the basic level and this had given rise to attendance problems.

Mr Fosu-Gyeabour said this at a press conference organized by the Ghana Education Service in Techiman Municipality to seek support in creating the enabling environment for the enrolment of all children of school going age, to retain all children enrolled and to motivate teachers to provide quality teaching.

He said the rate of qualification of teachers at the primary and JSS in Techiman Municipality was up to the expected level but expressed regret that the level at the Kindergarten level was far below the required standard.

The Municipal Director said 200 kindergarten teachers were undergoing training for the Government Untrained Teacher Training Diploma in Basic Education.

In the light of the tremendous increase in pupil population, he said, schools in the municipality needed several facilities to facilitate teaching and learning.

These include 380 pieces of five-seat desks for kindergartens, 630 pieces of dual desks for primary schools and 360 pieces of mono desks for junior secondary schools.

Mr Fosu-Gyeabour said classrooms were also inadequate and that 42 classrooms were needed in the kindergartens, 54 for primary schools and 22 for junior secondary schools.

The Municipal Director mentioned inadequate textbooks for pupils as well as for teachers guide but said the Ghana Education Service was addressing the problem.

He said while there were enough teachers in the municipality there was uneven distribution of pupil teachers as some of the teachers posted to Korfoso, Agosa, Nsuta, Tanso and Krobo complained of not getting accommodation.

Mr. Fosu-Gyeabour appealed to communities in the municipality to provide accommodation for teachers so they would stay to help enhance teaching and learning, instead of them staying in Techiman and commuting daily to their stations.

He appealed to the Techiman Municipal Assembly to resource the education directorate to provide 630 pieces of dual desks to cater for 1,245 pupils and 860 mono desks for students in junior secondary schools.

Mr. Joseph Ankomah, Techiman Municipal Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers called on the government to strengthen the Ghana Education Service with logistics, such as vehicles, computers and prompt payment of allowances.

He urged the government to marry infrastructure provision with the appropriate remuneration to motivate teachers to give of their best, adding that negotiations for new salary structures should be done on time to avoid unpleasant situations.

The GNAT Secretary commended the government for the Capitation Grant and housing programmes for teachers and appealed for the implementation of the new pension scheme.