Expert unhappy with ramshackle kindergarten structures

Ho, July 26, GNA - Madam Gladys Amenya, Head of the Early Child Development Unit of the Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Volta Region on Saturday condemned the practice by some basic school managements to run kindergartens from ramshackle structures.

She said in certain cases the beginners studied under trees while the older pupils were accommodated in secured classrooms.

Madam Amenya was speaking at the graduation ceremony of the pioneer pupils of the Kekeli International School, a fledgling basic school complex, of the SSNIT Flats Evangelical Presbyterian Church in Ho.

She said the environment around some early development centres in the region was bad with some in the midst of filth while some pupils used terrible furniture.

Madam Amenya commended the Kekeli International School for its neat surroundings but asked that more play items be procured for the children while attendants are taken through skills training.

She said the poor performance in the Basic Education Certificate Examinations in some schools in the region could be due to poor beginnings at the early child development facilities.

Madam Amenya said child development experts expected these centres to reflect a friendly teacher/pupil and parent relationship to foster an orderly development of their pupils.

Mr Timothy Ati, Chairman of the School Management Board, said the vision of the founders of the school was that which would 93affect the community" in such ways for it to stand tall among such institutions in the area.

He said the approach was not that of infusing the pupils with knowledge only but also with integrity and morality to enable them come out as "critical thinkers".