The Central Regional Chairman of the Ghana National Association of Teachers Rev Dr. Isaac Owusu has reiterated calls on government to expedite actions in addressing the numerous challenges confronting teachers in the country.
Among the challenges he indicated, are the poor working conditions members of the union are subjected to.
Speaking at the 6th Quadrennial and 53rd Agona West Municipal delegates conference, Rev Dr Owusu said, it is quite unfortunate that for the past 90 years teachers are left with nothing to show for their toils.
He added, “We want to tell our managers of education that teachers in this country specifically teachers in the Central Region are sick and tired of the austerity measures being meted out to us. Moreover, we plead with them to give us whatever is due us as teachers in this living.”
Rev Dr Owusu again expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in upgrading members who have followed the prescribed procedures for promotion but have been left unattended to.
“The issue of upgrading is one of the challenges we are currently facing as teachers. Although teachers in the Central region have spent their own money to pursue GES approved program and have completed since 2014, GES is refusing to promote our members. Is it a crime to further your studies? This is purely injustice,” he lamented.
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Adopt learner centred approach in teaching
In his keynote address, the Dean of the School of Educational Development and Outreach University of Cape Coast, Prof George K.T Oduro called on teachers to adopt a learner centred approach in teaching as it plays a critical role in the holistic development of students.
According to him for the standard based curriculum to achieve its purpose for which it was introduced, the Ghana Education Service must create a support system that will facilitate the commitment of teachers to the application of learner-centred teaching approaches in the classroom.
“No matter the effectiveness of a teacher, little achievement can be recorded if the requisite teaching-learning materials, laboratory equipment. and professional support are absent or non-available in the school system. It is in this light that I find the situation where teachers have to facilitate standard based teaching and learning without prescribe books. This is very unfortunate”
He noted that, “Such a situation makes a mockery of the curriculum reforms so far as implementation is concerned. It is therefore important that the Ghana Education Services ensures that logistics to support teaching and learning and the requisite professional development for enhancing teaching and learning for sustainable development are provided.”
He further called on the Ghana National Association of Teachers to demonstrate practical commitment to the advancement of E-teaching and E-learning among its members by advocating for sustained capacity strengthening of teachers in the use of E-learning tools.
Source: Kojo Dei ATLFMNEWS
