The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has taken on the Education Minister, for threatening to close down non-performing schools in Ghana.
Addressing members of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) in Kumasi, the sector Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum said that schools that do not improve their educational outcomes stand the risk of having their institutions closed down.
But, the General Secretary of GNAT, Thomas Musah, believes the Minister’s remark is misplaced.
“This is totally misplaced. That is not where that comment should go. For these schools that he is talking about, those who go there have poor grades, you put all these in one place and expect the heads to do magic. The Minister should sometimes consult.”
The Minister for Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, challenged the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) and Principals of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Institutions to produce better results.
He explained that a school with a consistent zero to 10 per cent pass rate should put together intervention programmes to ensure that most of their students find opportunities for further studies rather than becoming a liability to their parents and society due to their inability to pass their exams.
According to Dr Adutwum, closing down the schools would help save the nation from the huge financial losses being incurred by the government as a result of the existence of the schools.
He added that in cases where schools are closed down, the affected students would be redistributed to other nearby schools so they could continue their education.