The Pre-tertiary Education Bill 2019- Dangers and more

The Pre-tertiary Education Bill 2019 if implemented would have serious implications on not only the education of children in Ghana. According to an educationist, there are advantages and disadvantages of the Pre-tertiary Education Bill, 2019. The facilitator holds the view that teachers must know its effect on their work and employment.  Read to the end.

FACTS TO KNOW

1. The pre-tertiary education shall be known as Basic Education starting from Kindergarten to Senior High School.
2. The Minister of Education shall take measures *to cede effective responsibility for the provision and management of basic schools to the District Assemblies and the Ministry responsible for Education and Education Service provide effective oversight for secondary schools.
3. MOU will be entered into with the faith- based organisations for the management of faith- based schools.
4. The Director – General, Deputy Director General, Officers of Education Service at the National level shall be appointed by the President in accordance with article 195 of the Constitution.
5. The President shall appoint the Regional Directors, Deputy Regional Directors and other staff of the Regional Directorate in all the regions in accordance with article 195 of the Constitution.
6. The Education Service shall establish a Board of Governors for the management of each secondary school.
7. The District Assemblies shall be responsible for the management of Basic Schools. Each District Assembly shall establish Education Section.
8. The Head of Local Government Service in consultation with the Ministry of Education and Education Service shall appoint the Head and staff of the District Education Section.
9. The District Officer in charge of Education on behalf of the Head of Local Government Service and acting on the recommendation of the Head of the District Education Section, is responsible for the appointment, promotion, discipline and dismissal of the head and staff of basic schools in the Districts .
10. The District Officer in charge of Education may only transfer a head or staff of a basic school to another school within the same district.
11. Inter – District transfer of a head or staff of a basic school may only be undertaken by the Head of the Local Government Service in Accra.
12. A District Assembly shall establish a District Education Oversight Team to advice the District Chief Executive on the management of basic schools.
13. Each District Assembly shall establish a School Management Committee for each basic school in the District for effective management, monitoring and supervision of basic schools in the District.*
14. Teachers in the basic schools will be members of the Education Service employed by the Local Government Service to work for the Ministry responsible for Education, the Education Service and a Regional Coordinating Council or a District Assembly.*

ALOS READ THE FOLLOWING CONTENT

Now, let us look at the positive aspects of the bill:
1. decentralization of basic schools.
2. effective and efficient management, monitoring and supervision of basic schools.
3. improve quality of teaching and learning in basic schools.

The negative aspects of the bill include the following :
1. overly politicization of the management of basic schools.
2. worsening situation of victimization and the abuse by political actors.
3. putting square pecks in round holes.
4. a teacher may be dismissed with flimsy reasons, even political reasons.
5. it will be difficult to negotiates conditions of service for all teachers in Ghana.
6. inter- district and regional transfers will be very difficult if not impossible.
7. we may erode the gains we have made in the education sector as a country over the years.

READ: Napo, Adwoa Safo, Baffour-Awuah fingered in GETFund scandal

Recommendations: Pre-tertiary Education Bill 2019

1. The President should appoint only the Director -General and the Deputy Director General of Education Service and not other officers, Regional Directors and their Deputies and other staff of the Regional Directorate and District Education Officer. Proper laid down procedure should be followed in appointing them.
2. The District Assemblies should be responsible for provision of infrastructure and teaching and learning materials for effective teaching and learning.
3. The management of our basic schools should be done by Education Service without political interference and things will get better. Politicians will mess it up like other institutions.
4. Inter- District transfer should be done by the Regional Director and not the Head of Local Government Service who is also a politician.
5. Steps should be taken to make the Education Service non partisan.

From the above points, it is clear that, this bill will be dangerous to our job security as teachers and will serve only the interest of the politicians. We must resist it with all our might and strength as teachers. We should know that nobody will fight for us!
We should also remember that power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely. We are in Ghana, and we know what politicians can do.
We will regret it, if we allow this bill in its current form to be passed. Thank you!

By Kojo Appiah,
a citizen, not a spectator!

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