SHAMA-AHANTA HEADTEACHERS CAN'T COPE WITH WORK

The Shama-Ahanta Metropolitan Headteachers Association has appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to re-consider its decision to make headteachers teach in addition to their traditional responsibilities.

The appeal was contained in an address read by its chairman, Mr. J.B. Darko, at the annual get-together of the association at Takoradi on Friday.

The association maintained that since the introduction of the Free Compulsory Basic Education (FCUBE) programme, headteachers had tried to comply with the GES directive but found it to be counter-productive.

"Owing to the already heavy schedule of the headteacher who vets class teachers' scheme of work, supervises learning school, and attends in all classes, receives visitors to the school, and attends meeting and briefing courses, among other functions, it will be unrealistic for him to combine these responsibilities with full-time class teaching."

The association asked the GES to provide the syllabus and books for all subjects and adequate stationery to ensure effective teaching and learning in schools.

The association asked that bungalows built for headteachers should be ideal for a family man, adding that most headteachers were unwilling to occupy their present bungalows because they were not spacious to contain their families.

It further called for the review of prizes awarded to best teachers and re-schedule the awards day to coincide with the World Teachers Day.

In an address, Mr. Y.K. Effah, Western Regional Director of Education, praised headteachers in the metropolis for coming together.

He announced that 70 per cent of teachers in the region who took the superintendent's examination last year, passed.

The Regional Director said henceforth, any teacher who had stayed in one school for 10 years and above would be transferred to enable him to impart his rich experience to other teachers.

He urged the headteachers to continue with their efforts to render selfless services to the metropolis.

The association later presented prizes to hard-working headteachers and those proceeding on retirement.