Know your functions, halt STEM headteacher appointments – GNAT to MoE

Mr. Carbonou schools MoE on its core functions, calls for STEM headteacher appointed to be halted

The Ministry of Education seems to be acting ultra vires its mandate as it attempts to lead the appointment of headteachers for STEM Schools, a function that does not fall within its ambit in the administration of education in Ghana.

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has called on the Ministry of Education (MoE) to withdraw immediately its advertisement calling for applicants for vacant headteacher positions in newly established STEM schools at the second cycle level.

“The advertisement brought by the Ministry inviting applicants to apply to be headmasters and headmistress in STEM schools should be withdrawn by the Ministry immediately” the President of NAGRAT, Mr. Carbonou said indicating that the MoE was going beyond its functions and legal boundaries to the extent of appointing headteachers for schools in Ghana.

This function is the preserved right and responsibility of the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Mr. Angel Carbonou minced to words while reacting to the development and stated that the Ministry of Education does not have such an authority to recruit headmasters for the various schools.

He made this public during a press conference in Accra. The leader of NAGRAT said “There are a lot of issues in the educational sector that must be addressed but we are all pretending as though there are no issues.

“One of them is the decision by the Ministry of Education to appoint headmasters and headmistresses and they are starting with STEM schools but the Ministry has no power to appoint headmasters or headmistress.” Mr.  Carbonou furthered.

“It is the function of the Ghana Education Service (GES), the GES has that power to appoint headmasters and headmistresses, not the Ministry of Education.”

He has called on the Ministry of Education to withdraw its advertisement which aims at inviting and employing qualified applicants for the position of headmaster or headmistress in the STEM schools.

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Other stakeholders are of the view that just as the move by the MoE went against the laws that govern the management of education in the country, the probability of political elements being appointed to such positions was a highly possible occurrence.

READ: Potential Political Heads To Be Appointed For STEM Schools

The Ministry of Education is yet to react to the new development.