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The country’s two private school associations have expressed disappointment at the government’s decision to reopen schools for high school students (JHS) Two.
The associations, the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) and the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), said they were disappointed by the decision when a 10-member committee established by the Minister of Education had not completed its job. consider suggestions from various stakeholders.
They said that they were going to come up with a number of suggestions, including redesigning a new academic calendar that would have taken into account time lost in the old calendar (academic year 2019-2020), rather than continuing with it.
But in quick reaction, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has explained that the president’s decision placed more emphasis on protecting lives than on livelihoods.
“The President, after considering all the options available to him to conclude the current academic year, decided that students in Kindergarten (KG), Elementary, JHS One, and Upper Secondary (SHS) One will not return,” said the GES. .
Disappointment
GNACOPS Executive Secretary, Mr. Enoch Kwesi Gyetuah, and GNAPS National Organizer, Mr. Ezra Datnanyi, gave their reactions in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic yesterday after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced last Sunday that JHS Two and SHS Two students would go to school in October.
However, some members of three teacher unions – the Ghana National Teachers Association (GNAT), the National Graduate Teachers Association (NAGRAT) and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT) – said they were ready to teach as long as when the coronavirus disease. (COVID-19) security protocols were established.
Reopening
In his 16th address to the nation last Sunday, the president said the decision had been made by the GES, after consultations with relevant stakeholders, for SHS and JHS Two students to return to school on 4 October to December 14, 2020 to complete the academic year.
He said, among other things, that with JHS operating with classes of 30 and SHS with classes of 25, SHS Two and JHS Two students would be in school for 10 weeks to study and write their end-of-term exams.
He said that the GES, after further consultation, had decided to postpone the remainder of the academic year for all Kindergarten, Kindergarten, Elementary, JHS One and SHS One students, adding that the next academic year would resume in January 2021 , with the necessary adjustments made. to the curriculum to ensure nothing is missed from the previous year.
JHS and SHS seniors are already in school. While SHS students are writing the West African High School Certificate Exam (WASSCE), their counterparts at JHS are preparing for the Basic Education Certificate Exam (BECE).
All schools in the country were closed on March 15 as part of the government intervention to stop the spread of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) after the first case was recorded.
GNACOPS
Mr. Gyetuah said that the academic calendar needed to be redesigned, in consultation with the relevant stakeholders and not just by the GES.
“It should not be the GES that makes the decision just because it contributes 59 percent of educational needs, and private schools contribute 49 percent at the pre-tertiary level. The GES should not be the only body that should come out and tell us everything; there should be some inquiries, “he said, and asked,” We are not happy because if they go to school to write the test, why are they (JHS 2 students) going to write the test? “
He said that with the proposed redesign of the academic year, what had been lost in the previous academic year would be merged with the activities of the new one, so that students could have a longer period in school.
“For example, in the first quarter, if we are supposed to go 15 weeks, we can spend about 19 weeks, and then in the second quarter, add a week or two to the stipulated period. With this, the entire academic calendar would be packed in such a way that students can study and then recover what was lost, “he said.
Fundamental reason
Mr. Gyetuah questioned the justification for going to school to write an exam that was internal.
In addition to starting a new academic calendar with the promotion of students and the extension of the academic term to cover missed periods, he proposed another scenario that could have been considered: using September to December to pilot to work on the psychological demands of children. .
In that case, he explained, JHS students would be allowed to go to school in September and then Upper Primary students in October and then Lower Primary students in November, and so on.
“With that, we will see how things will turn out and put the necessary measures in place to deal with any problems that may arise from this.
“When this happens, you ease the burden on parents, school authorities and teachers. All of this will be done with all COVID-19 security protocols in place, “she said.
GNAPS
Datnanyi, for his part, said private schools hoped the president would allow schools to reopen in September to help ease the financial stress they had been through since March.
“Private schools are the most affected in the COVID-19 period because they have not been able to pay their teachers, unlike public school teachers who are still being paid by the government, although they are not working.
“Our hope was that the president would exempt the nursery and kindergarten students and ask everyone else, from Class One to JHS Two, to go back to school in September or October, so we can get some money to run our schools and pay teachers, “he said.
In addition, he said, private schools must still receive part of the stimulus package announced by the government.
“Then, on Sunday, August 30, private schools were disappointed with the announcement that only JHS Two students would return to school on October 5,” he said.
GES reacts
However, the GES Deputy Director General in charge of Quality and Access, Dr. Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, explained that the President’s decision was based on protecting lives first, then livelihoods.
“The President, after considering all available options to conclude the current academic year, decided that KG / Primary / JHS One and SHS One students would not return.
“We need to consider the fact that the president has thought about the fact that it will be difficult to ask young children in KG and Primary to distance themselves and wear masks. Putting the reopening of the new academic year in January allows for proper planning and multi-scenario considerations. The president has made a decision based on the safety of the children, ”he said.
He said that some private schools conducted online classes to complete the third quarter and that was commendable, adding that they “can continue online classes during this period until January 2021 when the new academic year will begin.”
“We know that private schools have livelihoods to protect, but at the same time we have a responsibility to protect lives, and they must understand that the president’s decisions are based on the safety of children first,” explained Dr. Tandoh.
“The president has made the decision not to endanger the children,” he said, insisting that the private schools representative was aware of the conversation about the reopening of schools in January.
“With regard to planning for the new academic year, we will continue to involve all stakeholders, including teacher unions, parents, private schools and state actors in the education sector,” he added.
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