Education

What a Shame: GES demands ONLY positive Placards for Nana Addo’s Visit to Jaman North

The Ghana Education Service has in a letter to schools in the Jaman North directed all schools and head teachers to ensure only approved comments are written on placards for the visit of the president to that part of the country.

The title of the letter read: Notice of Messages to be displayed on placards during his excellency the president’s visit to Jaman North.

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Member of Parliament for North Tongu & Ranking Member, Committee on Foreign Affairs at Parliament of Ghana Hon. Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa has indicated that this attempt by the government is deplorable.

“This is deplorable. The GES is sure not an extension of the NPP HQ. We destroy our institutions with such levels of reprehensible partisan infiltration.
How about our Government allowing the people to freely express their true views about its policies? Why this morbid fear?: He said in a Facebook comment on his page

Government through the Ghana Education Service seems to be controlling what can be expressed about the government of the day.

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This amounts to preventing freedom of speech and sincere expressions of stakeholders of education. If civil servants are not to be political why do we force institutions like the GES to have entrenched political postion in such matters. What a nation we have become.

This directive is also an attempt to paint a certain picture of absolute excellence as though everything is working.

What a Shame GES demands ONLY positive Placards for Nana Addo’s Visit to Jaman North

If the Government is doing well, the government of the day does not need to force schools, teachers and headteachers as to what they must write on placards.

This is an open truth that. all is not well.

The content of the letter was:

His Excellency the President of the Republic of Ghana will pay a working visit to the District, Jaman North on Tuesday 8th October 2019. As part of the program to commemorate his visit, the Regional Director of Education has commissions Directors for forward approved messages to be displayed on placards.

Below are the messages for your attention and action, please

1. You are welcome Mr. President

2. Jaman North Welcomes Nana Addo

3. We appreciate your policies

4. Free SHS waves yous

5. You have restored Nursing Training allowances

6. You have restored Teacher Training allowances

7. One hot meal for a day student

This list of required placards’ message was 16 in all. It seems the GES manipulated by the government. Do not take the freedom of expression from our learners, teachers and other stakeholders. Allow us to tell you how we feel.