Mixed feelings about revised duration of SHS course

Accra, Jan. 26, GNA- A cross section of Senior High School (SHS) teachers and students, on Monday expressed mixed feelings, about the intention of the ruling National Democratic Congress, to revert the four years duration of the SHS.

Some respondents who were interviewed by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), in a public survey, in Accra, expressed satisfaction about a news report accredited to Mr Alexander Tettey-Enyo, Minister of Education designate, to reverse the decision of the previous administration to add one more year to the course duration.

Mr. Cornelius Kuufaar, an English Tutor of the St. Thomas Aquinas SHS, told the GNA that the four years duration should not continue due to inadequate infrastructure.

He noted that the additional one year, would put pressure on the few seasoned teachers who among other challenges would be over tasked to compile continuous assessment forms for students. Mrs. Nadia Annan, an Intergrated Science Tutor, observed that some of the text books introduced for the four-year academic programme were too hollow to meet the academic requirements of students. Master Emmanuel Baddoo, School Prefect of St. Thomas Aquinas, said the four years course would have been a waste of time and counter productive. However, Master Emmanuel Djaba, Vice President of the Student Representative Council, said the four years course should be maintained because new text books and syllabuses had been provided for students to start with the core subjects. He said reverting to the original three- year course would compel students to cover many subjects within a limited period.