GNAT Calls on Gov’t to Address Educational Challenges

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has appealed to government to take pragmatic measures to address challenges affecting quality education delivery in the country.

Madam Gifty Apanbil, Deputy General Secretary in charge of Education and Professional Development of GNAT, expressed worry about issues affecting the education sector and said most of the schools in the country lacked adequate school infrastructure, which was leading to overcrowding in the schools, especially in the rural areas.

She made the appeal during the closing ceremony of a five-day Teachers’ training workshop organised in collaboration with Canadian Teachers Federation (CTF) in Tamale, aimed at improving teachers’ knowledge base to enhance teaching and learning.

Madam Apanbil said most of the teachers in the rural areas in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions were unqualified, resulting in the poor performance of students in the regions and needed to be addressed.

She said Government and other stakeholders in the education sector needed to desist from over reliance on donor funding, which came with its limitations so that the country could achieve the quality of education.

She advised the Ghana Education Service (GES) to widen the assessment criteria for assessing learning outcomes of the students to include practical skills to help discover the talents of children and urged government to support the foundational stage of Basic Education from, Kindergarten to Primary three, in the provision of teaching and learning materials in those areas.

Madam Apanbil said government should establish an incentive package for teachers who were teaching in these areas.

Mr Afelibiek Ababu, the National Vice President of the GNAT, advised the participants to implement what they had acquired to enhance teaching and learning in their schools.

Mr David Ofori Acheampong, the General Secretary of GNAT, also urged the participants to share what they have learnt to their other colleagues who could not make take part in the training to improve the performance of the students.

Dr Sulemana Iddrisu, the Principal of Tamale College of Education advised the teachers to be professional and improve on their performances in the classrooms.

Source: GNA