Re-introduce mental and dictation in basic schools – GES

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has called for the re-introduction of mental drill, dictation and physical education into the curriculum of basic schools, to help improve the academic performance of the children.

Madam Philippa Banson, Nkoranza South District Director of Education announced this at a meeting with heads of basic schools in the district at the weekend.

She however added that, the GES has directed that teachers should not revisit the negative practices and attitudes of old when teachers used the cane to force school children to learn.

“It is a wrong method of teaching by the use of the cane, as a number of students develop phobias for subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science because their teachers whip them during the subject periods”, the district director said.

Madam Banson called on the head teachers to ensure teachers did not use the cane in class so that the environment for teaching and learning would be conducive.

She reminded them that as managers of the schools they were expected to promote effective supervision of teachers and students to enhance quality education.

The District Director urged the school heads to respect the views of their subordinates and to ensure transparency in the management of the schools to win the support, trust and confidence of their teachers.

Mr Kwaku Amoah-Tutu, Assistant Director of Education, in-charge of schools inspection, disclosed that a work plan had been designed by the District Directorate to carry out intensive inspection of schools.

He announced a quiz competition would be organised at the schools’, circuits and at the district level, and urged the head teachers to prepare their children for the exercise.

The Chairman of the Nkoranza South District Basic Schools Heads Association, Mr Thomas Adu Kyeremeh, who presided, called on his colleagues to cooperate with the District Directorate of Education.

Source: GNA