SHS 1 reporting date: Why are you disturbing our children like this? - Kwesi Pratt blasts GES

Astute Journalist, Kwesi Pratt has slammed the Ghana Education Service (GES) over the reporting date for first-year Senior High School students.

According to a GES statement, all first-year students were to report to their various schools on Monday, December 4.

"Parents, students and the general public have therefore been reminded to take note that the reporting date for first-year students is December 4, 2023 as indicated on the Placement form," the statement issued by the GES on Saturday, December 2, said.

The schools are however to vacate on December 21 and reopen in January next year.

"Per the academic calendar, there would be Christmas break on the 21st of December 2023 and resume on the 3rd of January to continue academic work till March 5th 2024," GES emphasized.

Discussing this matter on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo", Kwesi Pratt found the GES directive insensitive to the plight of parents whose children have gained admission into the Senior High Schools.

He wondered how the Education Service expects parents to cough up money to send their children to school on December 4 only for them to return home on 21st of the same month.

To him, this means the students are going to school to virtually do nothing, hence blasting the GES for providing such a limited period for the parents and their children.

"What sort of trouble is this? So, pratically, the students are going to school and will vacate within 2 weeks...Just imagine living in Accra and your children going to school at Navrongo, how much is transport fare alone? Let's place this aside. We have all gone to school before. When you open school, what is the first week used for. The first week is not for serious academic studies. You all know that the first week is for weeding, sweeping, get used to the school environment and so on...So, if you are going to open school for two and half weeks, effectively, the period for instruction is only like one week. Why are we disturbing the children like this?", he fumed.