Story by Maxwell Kudekor
Some prominent personalities from
the Asuogyaman District of the Eastern Region and other stakeholders of the
area are concerned about the falling standards of education in the area.
Of particular worry to them is the poor performance of candidates
at the basic level.
Available statistics indicate that, only four students from the
entire district scored aggregate 06 in the 2016 Basic Education Certificate
Examination (BECE) while only two scored same from the government schools in
the year 2017.
The situation, according to stakeholders, demands urgent
attention.
The cause of the poor performance has been attributed to two main
factors -the teacher factor and parent/pupil factor.
The level of poverty in most part of the area has been attributed
to the lack of interest in education by parents.
In an attempt to find a solution to the problem, the
Director-General of the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority (GPHA) Mr. Paul Asare
Ansah who also hails from the area, has introduced some interventions to better
the performance of the students.
At a short ceremony held at Senchi on Monday to present a cheque
for GHȻ 60,000 to the Asuogyaman Educational Directorate, Mr. Paul Ansah
recounted the ordeal he went through before completing middle school and
indicated that, children of the present generation should not suffer same.
He said, the cheque is meant to organize the second edition of a
quiz competition among the schools in the district in order to assess their
preparedness or coverage of the syllabus.
He indicated that, part of the money would be used to organize
extra classes and a mock exam for the BECE candidates to adequately prepare
them for laurels in their exams.
The GPHA Boss mentioned that, even though the government has
introduced Free Senior High School education policy, children may not gain
admission to better schools if they do not excel at the BECE level.
From the primary level, Mr. Ansah announced the introduction of
the spelling B competition to enhance English speaking and writing among the
students.
Eastern Regional Coordinator for Early Childhood Education at the
Ghana Education Service, Mrs. Vida Ntow, warned teachers in the area to desist
from engaging in amorous practices with school children.
“As a teacher, you are sent to the schools to teach the students
and add moral values, you are not to harass or abuse your students. And the
students too, do not go to your male teachers’ house for anything. Even if the
situation pushes you to go, make sure he doesn’t touch you, come out to report
anything that happens while there to your parents,” Mrs. Vida advised.
Some of the school children expressed their gratitude to Mr. Paul
Asare Ansah for his support.
They hinted that, their patents could not pay for their mock
examination fee and were to be exempted from the exams but this intervention is
divine.
Source: Myjoyonline.com (Ghana)
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