Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa
The Director General of the Ghana Education Service, Prof Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, has urged heads of SHSs in the 5 Northern regions to improve upon the performance chalked by the maiden 2020 WASSCE candidates by at least ten percent in all subjects.
The stunning results of the 2020 maiden free SHS candidates had generated positive discourse in the academic and social sphere as Ghanaians assess the impact of the policy of the free secondary education.
The Director General in a meeting with stakeholders in Tamale encouraged heads to continue with their excellent works amidst all the challenges on the grounds.
“I admire your courage and tenacity to bring up our future leaders in the best of standards required of the 21st century students”, Prof Opoku-Amankwa commended.
The Director General assured teachers that plans are far advanced for government to settle teacher intervention allowances. He encouraged heads and staff not to be demotivated by the delay in the release of these allowances as they will be paid duly. “These allowances are genuine promises by government as part of efforts in motivating staff in ensuring sustained academic pursuits in the government flagship educational policy of FSHS”, the Director General assured.
Prof Opoku-Amankwa also took the opportunity to respond to some of the pressing issues of staff of the GES including upgrading and responsibility allowance. He indicated that a total of 14,997 staff have been upgraded as of 31st July this year.
He also said 41,066 staff of GES currently receive responsibility allowance. He indicated that the list of staff who have been upgraded as well as those receiving responsibility allowance have been sent out to the Regional Directors and have been asked to display them. He therefore urged staff of GES who qualify for either upgrading or responsibility allowance to check their respective regions and subsequently alert his/her office of any challenges thereof. He continued to explain that management froze upgrades for sometime now as many of these staff went for further studies in various programmes without obtaining the necessary approvals from the Service.
Be rest assured that all these staff involved have been cleared to be upgraded to the appropriate ranks in the Service. “These works began last month and the rest would be added in the month of August 2021”, Prof Opoku-Amankwa emphasized.
The Director General urged the heads to deliver to meet the demands of the performance contracts they signed recently by improving upon their performance by at least ten(10) percent in the impending 2021 WASSCE.
“You have to realize these targets in honesty and sincerity as GES will not condone or protect a teacher or head caught in any examination malpractices”, Prof Opoku-Amankwa counseled.
The DG’s meeting with the heads of SHS in the five Northern Regions is part of GES/MoE efforts to admonish heads of SHS to put in their final efforts to support the final years as they begin their WASSCE practicals from next week. He indicated that the Hon. Minister and his Deputies as well as the two Deputy Director Generals of the GES, are meeting heads in the other regions