Teachers trainees to do national service

From: Ghana/Daily Graphic          Last Updated: September 28, 2011

Teacher trainees who have completed their studies at the 38 Colleges of Education will undertake national service effective next year, the Executive Director of the National Service Scheme, Mr Vincent Senam Kuagbenu, has stated.

That, he said, followed the upgrade of the Colleges of Education into tertiary status.

Following the accreditation of the 38 Colleges of Education to full tertiary status, graduates from these institutions will from the next service year (2012-2013) to be enrolled on to the Ghana National Service Scheme. Consultations with stakeholders are concluded to pave way for commencement of the process of enrolment, Mr Kuagbenu said at the release of postings of national service persons for the 2011-2012 service years in Accra on Tuesday.

He said the national service for teachers would be undertaken after the teaching practice of the trainees, adding that the national service law mandated persons who had pursued tertiary education to undertake national service.

For the 2011-2012 service years, 60,350 persons out of the 80,586 requests received would be deployed throughout the country. The requests for the persons came from 7,613 organisations and 19,273 schools.

Out of the total request of 45,087 received from educational institutions, a total of 34,015, representing 56 per cent of the total deployment would go to the education sector. Of the figure, 25,094 would go to basic schools, 4,956 to senior high schools and then 2,965 to tertiary institutions.

The scheme received requests totalling 10,837 from the health sector this year. A total of 4,518 personnel comprising doctor of optometry, pharmacists, nurses, medical laboratory technicians as well as other health professionals have been deployed.

Mr Kuagbenu said the NSS had deployed 115 agricultural graduates to work on the schemes agricultural projects, adding that it had also deployed 895 personnel to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The drive to promote tourism, he said, continued to feature prominently in the scheme's programmes as 251 persons had been deployed to the Ministry of Tourism and the Ghana Tourists Board. One hundred and seventy of the persons have been deployed to the districts as district tourism officers.

A total of 16,801 persons have been deployed to Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies (MMDAs). Out of this number deployed, 180 persons with qualification in planning have been deployed to assist the MMDAs by ensuring proper settlement, planning and controlling the development of slums in towns and cities. In addition, special deployment of 200 persons has also been done to support the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) in the implementation of the House Numbering and Street Naming exercise, he said.

The scheme also received a total of 5,171 requests from the private sector to support its operations. A total of 5,016 persons have been deployed to this sector which includes manufacturing, telecommunication, insurance, banking and finance, among other firms.

Mr Kuagbenu stated further that the national volunteer programme was being streamlined to ensure maximum utilisation of human and financial resources allocated to the programme, and that 5,000 volunteers would be recruited to teach in deprived schools in the three northern regions, Volta, Brong Ahafo and parts of the Central and Western regions.

He said the establishment of regional farms with a total acreage of 2,200 in five other regions was expected to yield over 8,000 metric tonnes of maize this year.

Mr Kuagbenu commended the Chief Justice and the General Legal Council for the measures they had instituted to ensure that newly qualified lawyers and those seeking to pursue professional courses in law produced national service certificates as prerequisite for admission.

Through national service young graduates build skills, knowledge and attitude that raise the aspirations of what they can achieve for themselves and build the deep-rooted motivation to get involved in the strengthening of their communities and country.

I therefore would like to urge service personnel to accept postings to any part of this country as their civic responsibility to mother Ghana. I further wish to emphasise that national service should be seen as a national duty call and not a punishment, he said. 

Teachers in deprived areas motivated by Asantehene's honor

Teachers in deprived rural areas of Ghana say they feel motivated to continue serving in under-privileged communities after being honoured by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

The Otumfuo’s Teachers and Educational Workers Awards scheme was instituted to provide incentive packages to teachers who work in rural communities and have excelled in their responsibilities.

200 awardees from 48 districts in the Ashanti, Eastern, Brong Ahafo and Volta regions were honoured at an ‘Awukudae’ durbar at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.

Some of the award winners who spoke to Luv News said they face challenges such as access to potable water, electricity, transportation and the apathy of some parents to send their children to school.

“If you look at the community and the kind of things around the place and you sacrifice to teach and you are honoured, you feel great”, said Ernest Asamoah, an awardee from the Adansi North District, revealing that “the nearest town which you can access vehicle to the centre of the district is about nine miles [away]… and you have to walk this nine miles before you get [a] car to even attend a meeting.”

According to the Asantehene, Ghana owes a great deal of honour to teachers and other professionals who sacrifice the pleasure of living in urban communities to serve in deprived rural communities.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu observed that economic ventures in rural areas are key to national development, but regretted most rural communities are deprived with little or no access to amenities and infrastructure to promote a sustainable livelihood.

He opined that if there is any group in Ghana worthy of recognition and reward, it should be teachers in deprived communities.

“In reviewing and analyzing the contributory factors that led to the decline in educational standards, one key factor was the lack of teachers, especially in the rural areas, and the poor conditions of service and motivation for teachers and educational workers”, Otumfuo noted in a statement.

He says the Promoting Partnerships with Traditional Authorities Project (PPTAP), the Otumfuo Education Fund and the new Charity Foundation have been avenues to promote education from a holistic approach.

“Today, it is my pride and joy to appreciate and reward teachers and educational workers, especially those in deprived rural communities for giving off their best under very challenging conditions and also use this medium to entice others to take up teaching appointments in similar areas”, the King stated.

Awardees received a special package to aid their stay and work in the communities and would be sharing 50 thousand Ghana cedi cash reward from the Otumfuo.

Biology teacher in police grips after taking nude pictures of students

A biology teacher in Mampong Akuapim School for the deaf is in police custody for taking nude pictures of three of his students.

Seth Affum Danquah had lured the students into a building outside school premises, stripped them naked before taking the pictures.

Two residents who saw the teacher carry out his unbridled pornography effected a citizen’s arrest and handed him over to the Mampong police.

Police Commander for Akuapim Mampong, ASP Agyenim Boateng confirmed the incident in an interview with Joy News’ Dzifah Bampoh.

According to him, the camera used in the teacher’s escapade was retrieved with graphic pictures of the nude students.

“After we screened the camera we really realised that he took some obscene pictures of the three ladies showing part of their nakedness, upwards, specifically, their breasts and other obscene pictures,” he said.

He added the suspect admitted taking the nude photographs of the students but did not explain why and to what effect.

Affum Danquah has been charged with "unlawful entry" and in "possession of obscene pictures" and will be arraigned before the Mampong Magistrate Court on Friday.

Assistant Headmaster of the school, Emmanuel Apernu told Joy News the victims are all students “writing their final paper.”

He said the students only obeyed instructions from the teacher. He could not tell what the real intentions of the teacher were.

Meanwhile the Ghana Education Service is contemplating dismissing the teacher if found guilty of the allegations.

Rosemond Blay, Head of Special Education at the service said the act by the teacher is criminal and is waiting for the police to take action.

He said the service will have no choice than to dismiss the teacher if he is found culpable.


Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana

Cape Coast University admits more students

Some 2,533 women have gained admission to pursue programmes in education and business through the University of Cape Coast's (UCC) Centre for Continuing Education (CCE).
Have a break, have a manatee
The figure is the highest female intake since the establishment of the Centre 10 years ago, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang, the Vice chancellor of UCC, said when she matriculated the first batch of students of the CCE on campus on Wednesday.

A total of 1,034 of the 18,000 applicants obtained admission to study business and education related courses.

Prof. Opoku Agyemang said the Centre had introduced programmes tailored to meet the demands and needs of the job market.

These include diploma and a bachelor's degree in psychology and education foundations.

She commended mothers who had taken up the initiative to seek higher education despite the challenges.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the University was poised to deliver quality higher education despite the numerous challenges with the distance education programme and would not compromise on quality.

To achieve this it had engaged 1,786 competent course tutors for all 33 study centres across the country while 28 staff are being sponsored to pursue doctoral and M Phil degree in various programmes.

The Vice Chancellor enumerated some of the challenges as lack of permanent structures as study centres in the regions but added that a structure was being constructed in the Greater Accra Region and would soon start in other regions.



Source: GNA