Parliament has suspended sitting briefly to make room for final consultations before grilling the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum on the re-opening dates for Senior High Schools.
The announcement by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin today followed his earlier appearance to respond to questions by some Members of Parliament.
The questions stood in the names of MPs for Bongo, Edward Bawa, Abed-Nego Azumah Bandim (MP-Bunkpurugu), Kobby Mensah Woyome (South Tongu), Kofi Iddie Adams (Buem) and Ernest Henry Nogbe (Ashaiman) centered on how COVID-19 supplies were shared to schools, stalled GETFund projects at Npkanduri Business and Bankpurugu Senior High Schools, delayed projects in the Jasikan districts, specifically a two-storey boys dormitory Blago Senior High Technical and a six unit classroom blocks for some basic schools.
The others demanded responses on the Ministry’s plans for Secondary, Vocational and Technical Schools in Domeabra Obom and the urgent need for the provision of furniture to 7,000 pupils who currently sit on the floor in the Wa East district.
Public expectation has been high since last Wednesday when the Ghana Education announced December 4, 2023 as re-opening date for SHS freshers, barely a week after the School Placement list was out and December 22 for X’mas break and return on January 3rd 2024.
All four teacher unions, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Coalition of Concerned Teachers-Ghana (CCT-GH), and Teachers’ and Educational Workers’ Union (TEWU) have kicked against the dates.
They have cited inconvenience to both teachers and parents who need time to organize themselves and the cost of sending children to school for just three weeks, pick them and return them back to school after same period.
Parliament subsequently discussed the development following widespread concerns by parents and the Speaker summoned the Minister of Education to address the issue before the House.
It followed up with an official appeal through a statement asking the GES and government to reconsider the dates and if possible, defer the re-opening day for first year SHS students to January next year.
But the Ghana Education Service remains defiant and has reaffirmed its position.
In Parliament today, Monday, December 4, 2023, the Minister is yet to address the issue.
This follows the decision by the Speaker, Alban Bagbin to suspend sitting briefly to set the stage for the session with the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum on the re-opening dates for Senior High Schools.
Myxyzonline will keep you posted.
