The Ministry Of Education has defended its staff rationalization policy saying it is aimed ensuring comprehensive redeployment and evenly distribution of teachers.
The minister of education, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman has noted that, whereas there are about twenty four thousand excess teachers in the urban and peri-urban areas, the rural areas have a huge deficit of about twenty seven thousand teachers in the rural areas.
The Graduate Teachers Association of Ghana has kicked against the programme but the Minister is calling for nationwide support for the Ghana education service and its stakeholders as they take the necessary actions to implement the staff rationalization policy.
Touching on teacher unapproved fees and levies ,Prof. Opoku Agyemang said her outfit would not tolerate actions by heads of institutions who charge way above the GES approved fees.
She explained that, in cases where heads want to take additional money, parents and all stakeholders of the said school should have agreed to it and approved by the council of G.E.S
She then noted that, the hotline set up for complaints is still active and will continue to take the necessary actions to ensure that the policies work in the best interest of learners.
Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman however reiterated the ministry’s intolerance for teacher absenteeism.
According to her, currently, teacher absenteeism has been estimated to be between 25 and 27 per cent.
She noted that this situation has been identified as one of the contributory factors to the woeful performance of students at the basic level.
She explained that this situation demands urgent intervention measures.
In order to address this challenge, Prof. Opoku Agyemang said, the ministry has emphasized the strict implementation of the policy of zero tolerance for teacher absenteeism across the country with the help of relevant stakeholders by intensifying supervision in all basic schools.
