Improving learning outcomes, critical for human development - Prof Kumah

Professor Jerry Samuel Yaw Kumah, the Vice-Chancellor for the University of Mines and Technology (uMAT), has said improving upon learning outcomes was critical in developing quality human resource base for the country's development.

He said Early Grade assessment for 2013/2014 and subsequent years showed that children at lower primary needed to be tutored more to make them read, comprehend as well as to be able to digest and reproduce same in a meaningful manner.

Professor Kuma was speaking at the 57th Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools in Fijai in the Western Region under the theme: "Achieving Sustainable Quality Education in Ghana, the Role of Stakeholders".

The Professor said the role of teachers in educating the Ghanaian child to become functional and productive citizen could not be overemphasized.

According to him, it was only through proper education that the ignorant become informed, disease burden were reduced and general societal lives enhanced and called on the government, teachers and parents alike to play their respective roles to realize the quality that the country was looking for in its future generation.

The Professor believed that quality education must be able to transform the mind, heart, attitude, morals and skills of any individual for both local, national and even global usage.

He, therefore, called on the government to provide the financial resources, teacher motivation, capacity and training as well as equitable distribution of teachers to all schools coupled with the necessary academic infrastructure to improve upon learning outcomes.

The astute Professor also called on tutors, to be morally upright in dealing with the children and avoid a relationship that did not enhance the living of the children under their supervision.

"We do not need any unhealthy relationships in our schools," he added.

Professor Kuma who lauded the Free Senior High Education initiative by the government, however entreated parents not to shirk their responsibility in the whole process.

President of CHASS, Mr Victor Nyanney described the situation in which the government failed to consult teachers on the development of new policies as worrying since they were the key implementors of any such educational interventions.

He also called for the prompt payment of all allocations from the government to ensure the smooth running of the schools.

Mr Nyanney talking about infrastructure, vehicular and other such logistical constraints asked the government to as a matter of priority complete all ‘hanging’ and abandoned projects to meet such needs of the people.

Mr Kobby Okyere Darko-Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, said the country needed quality manpower to handle the numerous natural resources and it was only through quality education delivery that such purpose could be achieved.

He commended the government's free Senior High School policy as one great step towards helping to improve access, quality and improved educational environment and therefore called on the CHASS to help the policy to succeed.