Reopening of School: 12 new decisions by GES teachers and parents must know

The Ghana Education Service at a meeting with CODE AND COMEU has taken key decisions that all teachers and parents need to know ahead of reopening.

The decisions taken include the following

1. Ahead of the reopening of school, GES has directed that all pupils must move on to the next class. This means all learners will be promoted.

2. All schools are to be disinfected ahead of reopening.

3. Regarding safety protocols, the usual guidelines hold.  However, parental visits are being looked at.

4. Virtual/E-Learning will continue against the need to review the use of “seamless” mobile phones under strict guidance.

5. There will be training in Digital Literacy Proficiency for students and teachers. The latter will be supported by Government to own a laptop each in line with a proposal for every teacher to pay 30% over a period of 12 months while the government will pay 70%.

6. Submission of enrollment figures, as has already been requested by Headquarters, should be heeded with the utmost urgency. This will help forestall the unnecessary need for the shift system in any school.  Thus, Directors who fail in their duty to submit the data as soon as possible shall be interdicted. It is suspected that many Directors are hesitating in the matter of submission of the requested data because they are a loss as to which data to submit.

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7. Schools must not bloat budgets for logistics, capitation, exams, and other expenses.

8. Reopening of school in Mid January must come with the observation of “My First Day at School” which should be organized, even in the absence of funds and logistics, as the idea is to welcome pupils back to school.

8. CCP TRAINING: This shall subsist between 11th and 15th January.  The Budget and the List of participants will soon be made available.  Directors shall ensure that if at all there will be an issue, it MUST NOT be in relation to feeding.  The reason is that a sum of 20.00 has been allocated for feeding.

The Regional Director will take over the responsibility for the training from any recalcitrant Director.

Any additional expenses incurred under the CCP training shall be borne by the respective Director. No flat-rate should be paid for T & T.  The Accountant should work out the details ahead of schedule.

9. PRINTING OF EXAM QUESTIONS: MISCHIEF OF SOME DIRECTORS

The total debt incurred by some districts and payable to the companies that supplied the machines sounds unrealistic.

It is assumed that some Directors concerned expect to sabotage the policy so as to bring back Test Providers.

10. CORRESPONDENCE: Some Directors and head teachers write directly to the Director-General, thereby ignoring the normal communication channel in use. If the Directors concerned do not stop this act, Headquarters will soon ignore them and deal directly with heads.

11. POSTINGS AND RECRUITMENT: Under no circumstance should Directors change the placement of a teacher who has been posted. At best, documentation from the Regional Office should be inspected to avoid fake postings. The same applies to graduates who have been recruited and will soon be posted.

12. LEARNING GRANT will soon hit the district accounts. Care MUST be exercised in its use.