GES Sacrifices GHANASCO Headmasters Over Own Incompetence

The Ghana Education Service (GES), in what is considered to be a face-saving move, has directed the headmaster and the senior housemaster of the Ghana National Senior High School (GHANASCO) in Tamale, the Northern Region capital, to step aside for investigations into why a toilet space has been turned into dormitories for students.

This was after a widely circulated video showed students using toilet cubicles as dormitories, a revelation that appears to have embarrassed the authorities in charge of the country’s educational sector.

According to the GES, the news of a toilet space being turned into a dormitory for students is disturbing and unfortunate, taking into consideration the fact that, out of 1,790 vacancies declared by the school, only 1,467 students have enrolled.

The GES, in a statement in a letter dated April 16, 2023, said the school is expected to have excess capacity to even house extra 300 students.

“It is, thus, unacceptable to have students sleep in such a place,” the statement said.

But many are of the view that, the decision to interdict the two headteachers was uncalled for, since the issue of inadequate dormitories and academic space is only one of the many challenges bedeviling effective teaching and learning in the secondary schools nationwide.

Other challenges, according to The Anchor’s information, remain inadequate furniture, inadequate and unwholesome food, erratic academic calendar, with students spending more time at home than in school, overworked teaching and non-teaching staff.

A deputy ranking member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak, told this paper that, “many are not aware government since the inception of the Free Senior High policy is yet to remit a pesewa to cover library and ICT fees. Yet these fees are included in the basket of what government says is free.”

The regional director of education has been asked to investigate the situation and report back after two weeks.

Meanwhile, the management of the GES has assured the public that it will continue to ensure that the students entrusted in their care operate in a safe school environment.

source: Anchorghana.com