GES urged to solve placement problems in business education

The Ghana Association of Business Education Teachers (GADET) has urged government to help address some inconsistencies in the education system, which were posing problems for business students.

Mr. Gordon Osei Marfo, National President of GADET, said discrimination against Senior High School (SHS) graduates, who did elective business subjects, was worrying.

“Despite the obvious value of business education in broadening the minds and sharpening the power of analysis of those who pursue it, senior high school graduates of business education, who wish to further their education in certain professional institutions are denied placement,” he said.

This, he said, is either because of a misconception of what business education entails or because of a deliberate government or institutional policy.

Mr. Marfo cited examples of Colleges of Education and Nurses’ Training Colleges that had persistently and without apparent reasons, refused the admission of students who did elective business.

He made this known at the 22nd Annual Conference of GADET held in Wa, which was on the theme: “Challenges Facing Business Education in Ghana; The Way Forward.

He explained that, the vision of GADET was to offer high quality of education in Business studies for students to become discipline and competent accountants, managers and secretaries among others.

Dr. Musheibu Alfa Mohammed, Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, said the world had become a global village, with very high demands for science and technical education and thus, making business education very important.

He said it was common knowledge for engineers, medical doctors, and research scientists to become renowned bankers and chief executive officers of many organizations that appeared unrelated to their initial paths; but the same cannot be said for the business student.

Dr. Alfa suggested a revision of the curricula of course outlines and subject combinations in order to give equal opportunities for career mix without restricting options.

Mrs. Janet Bayel, Deputy Northern Regional Director of Education, said some parents no longer allowed their wards to study business subjects at the SHS level, due to the refusal of some colleges in admitting business students for further studies.

Mrs. Bayel assured the Association that, the GES would take the matter up with the government, and would not relent in its efforts until a solution was found.

Dr. Daniel Bagah, Dean of the School of Business and Law, University for Development Studies, said the “computer school selection and placement system” had become a corrupted method of selecting schools for junior high school.

He said students with excellent grades were made to study science, even when they did not opt for them, while the rest were made to study arts and business.

Dr. Bagah entreated teachers to improve on their research methods to give of their best to students.