Unfair treatment of SISOs, cause of poor learning outcomes
- The Conditions of Service of SISOs is demotivating.
- Unfair treatment of SISOs is contributing to poor learning outcomes in schools.
The Circuit Supervisor (CS) also called the School Improvement Support Officer (SISO) plays a crucial role in monitoring and supervision for quality teaching and learning in our schools.
SISOs are the Administrators of their respective Circuits in the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Education Directorates. Their roles are so crucial in achieving the expected learning outcomes that ensure the attainment of our national developmental goals.
To ensure the effective implementation of various educational policies and programmes, these roles can not and must never be swept under the carpet.
A poorly motivated SISO would find it highly difficult to ensure the timely implementation of worthwhile educational programmes and projects. This could lead to poor implementation of very important governmental educational policies.
SISOs are heavily tasked with various roles and responsibilities. Among them include:
■ Supervise and monitor schools within the Circuit
■ Collate accurate data from the schools and submit same to the District Education Office promptly
■ Submit quarterly reports on monitoring to the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Directors of Education
■ Periodic declaration of vacancies in the Circuit to the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Directors of Education for filling
■ Ensure the general welfare of teachers and pupils in the Circuit
■ Carry out any other duties assigned duties by the Management
Despite the important roles played by SISOs, they are faced with various challenges in the line of duty. These challenges, if not checked, would go a long way to affect effective monitoring and supervision of schools, thereby affecting the quality of teaching and learning across the country.
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Challenges Circuit Supervisor (CS) also called the School Improvement Support Officers (SISOs)
SISOs in the Upper West Region and across the country are most grateful to the Central Government for providing them with Motor Bikes to ease their routine monitoring and supervision across their Circuits.
The following challenges are however faced by the SISO daily in ensuring quality educational delivery across the country:
1. Non Payment of Additional Responsibility Allowances for SISOs
2. Non Payment of Motor Vehicle Maintenance Allowances for SISOs
3. Non Payment of Risk/Out of Station Allowances for SISOs
4. The absence of Motor Accident Insurance facility for SISOs
5. The Absence of Induction Programmes for newly appointed SISOs
6. The Absence of routine Continuous Professional Development Training Programmes for SISOs
7. Inadequate Office space for SISOs in the MMDEOs
8. Lack of Data Collection Tools (Desktop Computers/Laptops/Tablets) for SISOs).
9. Non payment of SISOs Monitoring Allowances
10. Large size of some Circuits leading to large span of control
RECOMMENDATIONS for improvement in the conditions of service of SISOs
The following recommendations are very important to ameliorate the challenges faced by the SISO:
1. Institutionalization of payment of Additional Responsibility Allowances for SISOs
3.Institutionalization of payment of Motor Vehicle Maintenance Allowances for SISOs
4. Institutionalization of payment of Risk/Out of Station Allowances for SISOs
5. Institutionalization of Motor Accident Insurance facility for SISOs
6. Institutionalization of Induction Programmes for newly appointed SISOs
7. Establishment of Continuous Professional Development Training Programmes for SISOs
8. Provision of Office space for SISOs in the MMDEOs
9. Provision of Data Collection Tools (Desktop Computers/Laptops/Tablets) for SISOs).
10. Timely payment of SISOs Monitoring Allowances
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There is therefore the urgent need for management to take a critical look at the Conditions of Service of SISOs in order to bring lasting solutions to these challenges.
This is the surest means to SISOs are empowered to deal with the current poor learning outcomes.