Allow Form 1 students to report in January

Dear Director General of the Ghana Education Service Ghana Education Service,

SHS placements came out on Thursday and the children are to report to school on Monday, which means that Parents have just 3/4 days to purchase everything on the prospectus and send their kids away. Only for them to spend just 2 weeks on campus and return home again.

We know the first week on campus is usually for familiarisation. Therefore, technically, our children will have only one week of academic work, if any.

This arrangement doesn't sit well in logic. Why put parents under intense financial pressure only for the children to have just one week of academic work and return home?`

Imagine the many kids who'll travel very long distances across the country only to return in a few days. The risk to their lives and waste of money on expensive fares.

Let our children go to school in January, when parents would have had ample time to prepare financially, procure most items on the prospectus, and the kids themselves would have prepared mentally for the onerous task of high school education. Even you Ghana Education Service as a service would have been able to solve all outstanding issues relative to the placement by then.

The Teacher Unions have already written to you as Teachers. I am also writing to you as a Parent. We collaboratively emphasize that the current arrangement doesn't work for any of the stakeholders.

So reconsider your decision and review the calendar.