Heads of the various Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the five regions of Northern Ghana have been tasked to improve on the performance of the 2020 results by 10 percent in the 2021 West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) students in the area.
Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwah lauded the performance of the maiden free Senior High School students in the 2020 WASSCE exams.
However, the GES Boss at a meeting with stakeholders in Tamale urged the headmasters to continue with their excellent service to the nation. Professor Opoku-Amankwah encouraged them not to relent on their efforts in spite of the challenges on the ground.
According to him, the stunning results of the 2020 WASSCE candidates who happened to be the maiden free SHS graduates has generated a national discourse in the academic and social spheres as the impact of the policy is being assessed by many Ghanaians.
The Director-General also assured teachers that plans are far advanced for the government to settle teacher intervention allowances.
He encouraged heads and staff not to be demotivated by the delay in the release of these allowances as they will be duly paid.
“These allowances are genuine promises by the government as part of efforts in motivating staff in ensuring sustained academic pursuits in the government flagship educational policy of Free SHS”, he emphasized.
Prof Opoku-Amankwah seized the opportunity to respond to some of the pressing issues of staff of the GES including upgrading and responsibility allowance.
He indicated that a total of 14,997 staff have been upgraded as of 31st July, 2021.
Professor Opoku-Amankwah explained that about 41,066 staff of the Ghana Education Service have thus far received responsibility allowance.
He stated that the list of staff who have been upgraded as well as those receiving responsibility allowance have been sent out to the Regional Directors and have been asked to display them.
Professor Opoku-Amankwah therefore urged staff of the GES who qualify for either upgrading or responsibility allowance to check their respective regions and subsequently alert their offices of any challenges thereof.
He explained that management froze upgrades for some time now as many of these staff went for further studies in various programmes without obtaining the necessary approvals from the GES.
