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Government will ensure educational
reforms - Kufuor
Sunyani, Oct 16, Ghanadot/GNA - President John Agyekum
Kufuor has assured directors of education that the
government would provide the requisite incentives for the
successful implementation of the new education reforms.
The President gave the assurance in a speech read on his
behalf by Mr. Kwadwo Adjei Darko, Minister of Local
Government, Rural Development and Environment, at the
opening of the 14th annual conference of directors of
education in Sunyani.
The conference under the theme, "Quality education - the
teacher factor", would offer the directors the opportunity
to share their experiences, challenges and collectively work
out the way forward.
President Kufuor said the education director's role in
ensuring the successful implementation of the national
education reform was pivotal and crucial.
"The director of education therefore becomes the driver of
the brand new vehicle called the new education reform.
Imagine what will happen if the driver does not move the
vehicle. The vehicle stands still in the old order", he
said.
President Kufuor said "this kind of relevant and quality
education is expected to have a positive impact on the
various aspects of our national economy, civil society,
culture as well as the scientific and technological capacity
of our dear nation".
He said the reform must therefore be innovative and generate
creativity to ensure the development of a stronger human
resource base and training of future leaders.
The President said the reform must bridge the digital divide
and ensure equity, giving opportunities for individuals to
develop their potentials irrespective of gender, religion,
background, personal circumstances and geographical
location.
He stressed that there were clear indications of a positive
correlation between the quality of education, the levels of
human resource development and the levels of economic
development.
"Quality education is a function and as a result teachers
must be empowered through training to have the confidence
and the competencies to perform", President Kufuor said,
adding that its delivery and the role of the director of
education therefore became critical in the nation's
developmental process.
President Kufuor said the nation was poised to utilize
education as a development tool in its developmental process
to ensure the development of quality of life for the
citizenry.
"Quality education has the potential to transform societies
into more sustainable societies and is therefore a dynamic
concept for societies like Ghana that are undergoing social
and economic transformation and development", he said.
President Kufuor urged the directors to deepen their
relationships with district chief executives and all stake
holders since the reform programme could only succeed in an
atmosphere of peaceful co-existence.
He called on the directors to employ all that was required
to move the reforms forward to meet the nation's objectives
and goals.
Mr. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister,
in an address read for him said the education reforms put in
place by government was meant to give the youth quality and
relevant education to be able to meet the future needs of
the nation.
He appealed to the directors to come out with useful and
helpful suggestions for the consideration of appropriate
authorities on the welfare of teachers.
The Regional Minister said there had been a substantial
increase in enrolment and retention of pupils in basic
schools as a result of the reforms and gave assurance that
the government was committed to the provision of additional
facilities and other forms of support to ensure that all
children of school going age enjoyed quality education.
Mrs. Sophia G. Awortwi, president of the conference of
directors of education, called on the directors to have a
new mind set and attitude towards the teaching profession
and to have a positive impact on the working ethics of the
profession in and outside the classroom.
She said bad attitude of some teachers had carved a certain
mental niche for the profession and had relegated teachers
to the background in society.
"Such sunken image has affected the general image of the
profession and has even affected classroom delivery", she
said and appealed to her colleagues to make deliberate
efforts to make the profession as enviable as other
professions.
GNA
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