GES gives ultimatum to unlicensed schools

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has directed proprietors of private schools operating illegally to regularize their operations within six months or face closure. District directors of education are to organize a through inspection of all private schools in their districts.

Those that fail to meet the required standards will be given six months to improve upon their facilities or be closed down, says Michael Nsowah, acting director general.

Speaking to the paper in Accra yesterday, Mr Nsowah said the directive was in pursuance of the power conferred on the minister of education by the Education Act of 1961 based on which regulations and rules were made in 1995 to govern the establishment of private schools.

He said letters had already been dispatched to all regional and district directors asking them to take the necessary steps to ensure that schools already in operation met the laid-down requirements.

He warned that no new schools would be allowed to operate until the proprietors meet the laid-down requirement.

The regulations state that: ?No person shall establish or conduct the affairs of a school as a private institution unless he had received the prior approval from the director-general.?

?Upon receipt of the application, the district director should consider the objectives, curricula, courses ad syllabus of the applicants the need establishment of such institution in the area and the ability of the applicant to provide facilities for nine year basic education of three-year senior secondary programme.?

Mr Nsowah said other criteria, such as the appointment of a head with requisite training and the environment of the proposed institution, should also be examined.

He stated that the proprietor of an approved institution should within two months register the institution as a limited liability company or private enterprise with the registrar-general and forward a copy to the district director of education.