Ghana ranks 1st in Teacher absenteeism in West Africa

• Posted on September 29, 2014
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Ghana ranks first in teacher absenteeism in West Africa, reports from the World Bank and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) have revealed.

According to the reports, teacher malingering is the major contributory
factor to the low performance of pupils and students in public basic schools in the country.

Mr Alex Kyeremeh, a Deputy Minister of Education, made this known at a stakeholders’ forum on education at Dormaa- Ahenkro on Thursday.

Under the theme,
“Enhancing Quality Education In The Dormaa Central Municipality: The Role Of Stakeholders”, the well attended forum was jointly organised by the Dormaa Central Municipal Assembly and the Municipal Directorate of Education.

Mr Kyeremeh, who is the Member of Parliament for Techiman South, said
the government would not tolerate lazy teachers and appealed to teachers who had no interest in the profession to quit.

He urged Regional and District Directors of Education to collaborate effectively with Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives, to strengthen supervisory role, by paying unannounced visits to basic schools at short intervals.

This, the Deputy Education Minister, said would enable them to identify truant and recalcitrant teachers for action to be taken against them.

Mr Kyeremeh said ensuring quality education was based on three pillars, which are access, quality and equity, adding that while the government would make basic education easily accessible and affordable, teachers ought to be supportive to improve performances.

He expressed worry about school heads who charge unapproved fees, especially at the Senior High School level, and warned that Regional and District Directors of Education would be held accountable if the situation continued.

Dr George Adjei- Henne, Brong-Ahafo Regional Director of Education, said teachers played a pivotal role in promoting quality education and that was why they ought to be well motivated.

“Teachers are the main determinant of quality education,” he said, and added that despite efforts by the government to enhance their conditions of service, some of them were not ready to work.

Dr Adjei-Henne expressed regret about how some parents spend their monies on merry-making and expensive clothing at the expense of the education of their children and appealed to parents to show interest in the moral upbringing and development of their children.

He said School Management Committees were weak and asked Directors of Education to take the responsibility to make them vibrant.

Mr Gordon Asubonteng, Dormaa Central Municipal Chief Executive, said last year the assembly inaugurated four basic school infrastructures
at Masu, Nsuhia, Antwirifo and Sromani in the municipality.

It also renovated threeunit classroom blocks with ancillary structures at Nsesreso and Abonsrakrom, and two number four unit mini self-contained bungalows for teachers at Kyekyewere and Dabaabi.

Mr Bernard Adu- Afram, Dormaa Central Municipal Director of Education, said the municipality scored 97.4 percent in the 2013 Basic Education Certificate Examination.

—GNA