Reasons for the introduction of semester system in basic schools in Ghana

Reasons for the introduction of semester system in basic schools in Ghana

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has released a semester system academic calendar for basic and Senior High School in Ghana.

According to Dr. Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, Director-General of GES in Charge of Access and Quality in an interview on Citi FM, the semester system has come to stay. In fact, it is the new normal.

Latest administrative changes in the Ghana Education Service (GES)

4 Reasons Why

Here are 4 important reasons why GES introduced the semester system in Basic School and SHS.

  1. To align the Basic School Calendar with the University system.
  2. To enable teachers pursuing further studies through sandwich mode to have time to attend their lectures.
  3. Help reduce absenteeism. It has been realized that when KG and Primary were running the Trimester system as against the Semester by the JHS, absenteeism was high among the JHS students because some stayed home to take care of their siblings who were on vacation.
  4. Parents in Greater Accra complained that while they are off to work, their young children stayed home when their older siblings were still in school.

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Teachers Concern

Proposed periods allocation do not include pre-instructional time activities such as cleaning, morning assembly, roll call etc.

As for the increase in length of the school day, nobody is saying anything. Our collective agreement states that before such a decision is taken, teacher unions must be consulted for a negotiation to take place. We are yet to know whether they have been consulted or not.

If you read the labor law, what those who proposed the timetable are telling teachers in basic schools is that

  1. Supervising learners in preparing the school environment for learning is out. Maybe they will employ cleaners as is the case in other places.
  2. Morning assembly, registration, and closing assembly are voluntary. If you want to help your country, you do it.
  3. Make sure to be in school at the start of the lesson, go ahead and teach whether the compound or class is dirty or not, leave the school compound when lessons are over. Do nothing else. Work within the 8hours and go home.

Eduwatch opposes a permanent semester academic calendar for basic and secondary schools.

Source: Informed Teachers Network