The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has justified the re-opening date for Senior High Schools in the country, arguing that there is nothing strange about it.
According to him, the Ghana Education Service had released the 2023–2024 academic calendar about a month ago, which announced today, Monday, December 4, 2024 as the reporting date for fresh students.
He rooted his argument in the fact that as of November 27, 2023 over 80% of new students had been placed in the various SHSs across the country, a figure higher than last year.
He said the statement from the Ministry of Education dated November 27, 2024 reminded the public of December 4, which was already part of the academic calendar released a month ago.
“By that day, November 27, 2023 over 80% of qualified candidates had already been placed. The reporting date for freshmen was announced as December 4. Students have 7 days to prepare for school, including a maximum of 19% self-placement,” he said in a Face book post.
Kofi Asare continued, “Compared to last academic year, is the Ghana Education Service improving or otherwise? Has something strange happened this academic year? While there is room for improvement, including the possibility of reducing the 90-day turnaround time for BECE results, I believe nothing strange has happened.
Once we re-set the academic year to pre-COVID, parents, students and teachers should have the needed time to prepare and rest. I am ready for school. Let’s go.”
LAST YEAR
Kofi Asare referred to the situation of the 2022–2023 academic year to make his point. He said that school placement was announced on February 15, 2023 at the time only 69% of qualified candidates had been placed.
He said the reporting date was announced as February 20, giving students just 5 days to prepare for school, including a maximum of 31% self-placement, but Parliament did not raise an issue with it.
PARLIAMENT
He was commenting about happenings in Parliament last Thursday over the December 4 date for new students to report to their various SHSs.
The Minority Spokesperson on Education, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, made an urgent statement on the subject of the reporting date and called on the House to urge the Ministry of Education to rescind its decision.
In the statement that he read on the floor, he argued that it was not right for the Ministry to issue a statement on Thursday and that, students should report today, Monday, December 4.
What got him more concerned was the period to be spent in school before the Christmas holidays – two weeks.
Several of his colleagues commented on the statement and agreed with him, including the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, and his Deputy Alexander Afenyo-Markin, as well as the North Tongu MP, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Abdul Rashid-Pelpuo, Wa Central.
The Member of Parliament for Odododiodio, Edward Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, agreed with the maker of the statement that the reporting date should be rescheduled to the first week of January 2024.
The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, indicated that the students would not be affected academically if the date was changed to next year, especially when they would use the first of the two weeks for orientation.
The House urged the Minister for Education to “reconsider” the reporting date that was announced.
However, there is no indication it has been changed.
UNEDITED CONVO ON SHS RE-OPENING
Meanwhile, the following is an interview the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare said he had with a parent, regarding the re-opening of schools.
Parent: Are the kids still going to school on Monday?
Kofi Asare: Why not?
Parent: Ah, why? I thought everyone is complaining that the time is too short?
Kofi Asare: Too short how?
Parent: We have only 6 days to find money and prepare to send the children to school. Some don’t even have schools yet.
Kofi Asare: But you knew a month ago that school will re-open for fresh students on 4th December. Why are you now going to look for money? I disagree!
Parent: A month ago?
Kofi Asare: Yea, released the academic year calendar a month ago.
Parent: What about those who haven’t gotten schools yet?
Kofi Asare: That’s some 5%; they will come later. If you have been placed, take your child to school on Monday. By the time you start classes in week two, the rest will join you.
Parent: But why do kids have to go on 4th December only to return for Christmas in 17 days?
Kofi Asare: Did you ever spend Christmas in school?
Parent: No!
Kofi Asare: You see, across the whole of anglophone West Africa, Ghana is the only country that has still not been able to re-set its academic calendar to pre-COVID levels…to the extent that we’ve been unable to write WASSCE with our neighbours since 2021.
We must all sacrifice and start this academic year in 2023. The three weeks is critical to reducing the deficit. Good night!
