47: Ghanaian Education Weekly Review (7/31 – 8/6)

MoE announces free SHS monitoring team

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has set up a monitoring team to provide oversight for the free SHS program. The monitoring team will be composed of representatives from the National Ambulance Service, National Fire Service, National Security, school heads and auditors. This was announced at a consultative meeting held with the heads of senior high schools, the Computer School Placement Secretariat, and directors of the Ghana Education Service (GES). At the same event, the Minister of Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, conveyed his commitment to getting this right, encouraging those who are unsure of any aspect of the program to speak up.

 

GNAT yearns for updated regulations

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has made clear that Ghana isn’t ready, from a regulatory standpoint, to privatize education. GNAT, rightfully, wants to make sure that the government doesn’t take an “act now, ask questions later” approach. In order to move forward with privatizing education, which GNAT does not necessarily oppose, the proper foundation needs to be in place to keep education affordable and accessible for all.

 

Also…

Chalkboard Education, a Ghanaian mobile learning startup, has raised $237,000 in funding from the Jacobs Foundation.

The Minister of Education clarified that the current feeding system will not be changed by the switch to the free SHS system.

Stephen Abarika, Eastern Regional President of the Girls Education Network (GEN), argues for the importance of increased supervision and monitoring in public schools, calling it the key to improving standards and performance on the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

23 teachers in the Obuasi Municipality received awards at the Best Teacher Award Day in Obuasi. Keep up the good work!