Minister for Education, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh last week on Asempa FM expressed disappointment in his predecessor, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
According to him, the educationist who should know better left behind huge arrears which could collapse the sector.
Napo, as he is popularly called, cited among other things 4.7 million feeding grant for special schools, 36 million subsidies for Senior High School (SHS), 155 million Northern scholarship as some of the legacies Prof. Opoku Agyeman left behind.
He also disclosed that there were no documents supporting the supposed 200 schools the erstwhile Mahama administration promised to build.
Napo could not fathom why someone who is a former Vice Chancellor could superintendent over such incompetence.
In response, Special Aide to former President John Mahama, Joyce Bawa Mogtari has sought to know the kind of arrogance that would make a "trainee-Minister who is still struggling to understand the mandate of his office," declare that a "world-renowned and experienced educationist" does not know anything about education.
According to her, Professor Opoku-Agyemang cannot be said to be the usual politician, but of course, one who has a firm belief in the Social Democratic Philosophy of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
To her, Napo's comments are borne more out of arrogance and the realisation that the standards set by Professor Opoku-Agyemang at the Education Ministry are far higher for him to stand up to, let alone surpass.
Read below the full statement from the office of the former President.
IN DEFENCE OF PROFESSOR NAANA JANE OPOKU- AGYEMANG
I am still not sure what it is that supposedly provoked our Minister for Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to embarrass himself and cause people to lower further their perception of him, with his public insults and vulgarism against Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.
They are from two different political ideologies, yes, but must that by itself cause a person appointed by the State and who should be a role model to others, to behave and publicly, in that manner.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang cannot be said to be your usual politician, but off course one who has a firm belief in the Social Democratic Philosophy of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Of the many appointees of state over the years, Professor Opoku-Agyemang, Ghana’s first female Vice Chancellor of a University, is thought among the few that did not only bring dignity to their positions but demonstrated that public service officers or political appointees can be focussed, measured, committed and dedicated to the job of implementing the vision of the leader/ President in a manner helps improve the lives of the Ghanaian people.
The academic credentials of the learned Professor, her contributions to society and her work as Minister for Education can obviously be fact-checked.
Why Hon. Opoku Prempeh will think and even want to describe as her as an embarrassment and one who does not understand education is simply mind boggling!
I guess his comments are borne more out of arrogance and the realisation that the standards set by Professor Opoku-Agyemang at the Education Ministry are far higher for him to stand up to, let alone surpass.
Here is a brilliant female scholar, a professional, an educationist and a patriotic Ghanaian whose diligent works and strong educational reforms have raised Ghana’s image in education to enviable heights.
During her many years of academic journey, Professor Opoku-Agyemang served in a number of important roles including Head of the English Department, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Dean of the Schools of Graduate Studies and Research, all of the University of Cape Coast.
Her hard work and proven competence culminated in her becoming the first female Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast and the first female in Ghana’s history to ascend to that position.
Of course, her pioneering ascension to the Office of Vice Chancellor, the highest position in academia, has served and continues to serve as a major inspiration for other females that they can rise to any position by merit once they set their minds to it.
Ten years ago, in March of 2007, when only five (5) scholars from across the world were selected to deliver presentations during the commemoration of the 200th Anniversary of the Abolition of Slavery at the United Nations Headquarters, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang was one of those five (5) prominent scholars. Her selection to this high-level event as an eminent scholar from Ghana was certainly no disgrace to her country. Indeed, she made her country proud.
As Minister for Education, Professor Opoku-Agyemangwould continue in her excellence. In only four years, she led the Ministry to introduce critical reforms and took charge ofthe biggest investment in education in Ghana’s history, from the basic to the tertiary levels.
Among many other interventions, the Ministry of Education introduced a historic BECE Private Candidates Policy and a policy of zero tolerance for teacher absenteeism, which saw a decline in absenteeism from 27% to a low of 7%.
Her Ministry also worked vigorously to end the shift system, by supervising the expansion of infrastructure and provision of required facilities at the basic level.
Again, under her stewardship as Minister for Education, Ghana for three (3) continuous years, topped the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (WASSCE) and in one of those years, all the three best WASSCE students came from Ghana.
The irony is that, if it were not for her ministry’s decision to expand infrastructure in existing public secondary schools and also the construction of absolutely new Community Day Senior High Schools (SHS), which have created enrolment space for at least 50,000 SHS students, it would have been difficult, if not impossible for the NPP government to roll out their Free SHS programme.
Is this a woman Dr. Opoku Prempeh should insultingly call an ‘embarrassment’ and a ‘disgrace’? Is this somebody who does not understand education? Is it because Professor Opoku-Agyemang is a humble and quiet person who does not wear her professorship in education on her sleeve?
What kind of arrogance would make a trainee- Minister who is still struggling to understand the mandate of his office, declare that a world-renowned and experienced educationist does not know anything about education?
One cannot help but recognise that such arrant disrespect for professional women, is not an individual character trait of Opoku Prempeh, but appears to be a reflection of the ruling Party, for if not, President Nana Akufo-Addo would have ensured that his Minister withdraws his embarrassing insult, and apologises to the former Minister.
But, didn’t the whole party and its senior officials sanction such public diatribes on the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Charlotte Osei?
Listening to Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh speak on radio in defence of his actions makes one wonder the leadership he will be bringing to our educational sector, and whether we can expect anything better from the sector.
Our professionals, our women deserve better.
Joyce B. Mogtari
Accra
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Hon(I don't know if u even deserve this tittle)Bawa, u never sought to discredit his allegations rather u gave her credentials. but don't forget your boss (ex president) has more credentials than Hon Jane Opoku. your boss passed through all the ranks of political 'enclaves' yet what did we see upon his assumption of his government? GROSS INCOMPETENT, CORRUPTION AT ITS MAX, etc. so better respond to the allegation than to arrogate the ex-minister.
Is the ministry indebted as claimed by NAPO? I think such questions ought to have been answered. All these long talk does not answer the questions of outstanding debt.
@ Wiseup Ghana: Please Being a medical officer is a first degree but a professional one. A medical doctor will have to apply to read master or second degree in any discipline. If the doctor wants to specialise in their field, s/he becomes a specialist in the area. That is why in academia they also war the same gown as others in many educational institutions.
Prof Jane lost her credibility after signing Montie 3
This response from Former President Mahama's office shows clearly that the former president was really incompetent. why do I say so? if former president Mahama office can now describe a doctorate holder NAPO as a trainee minister,then lets ask about the likes of Okudzeto Ablakwa,Felix Ofosu Kwakye and the likes of Dining hall prefect Akando. how should we call them? my answer to these former minister is(Kindergarten minister).Statements and responses from the former president and the NDC always exposes them to the core. So the NDC can Now realize what is arrogance.
NAPO elaborated the huge debt the Prof. left behind. The QUESTION is " IS IT TRUE? I thought the office of the former president will come and say there were no debt left behind, yet they came telling us the credentials of the Prof. which we UCC alumini knows. NDC,JOYCE BAWA MOGTARI, DID YOU LEAVE SUCH DEBT OR NOT?
Most Ghanaians know Mahama was incompetent.
This article is a bad remedy, for it sinks lower than the insult it seeks to address. Not every injury is treated with hot water, some injuries especially scalding burns, are dressed with cold, clean water. Now to particularities: 1. Professor Jane Opoku Agyeman the academic, was not exactly the same Jane Opoku Agyeman the politician. The former was a very principled vice chancellor at UCC, the latter was a disturbingly random minister of education under an impossible political regime. 2. Scoun-drels cry out loudest when they suffer occasional requital. They forget all that they have made their more composed antagonists endure for a very long time. When babies with sharp teeth brutally tear into the senile flesh of their favorite preys, that is fun. Isn't it? 3. Whatever scholarly heights Professor Jane Opoku Agyeman may have attained, could not exculpate her from Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh's charges against her. Only facts could.
That professor lost her brain and right thinking when she joined Mahama administration. How on earth could she signed a petition on behalf of MONTIE 3 for their unhealthy words against the justices of the supreme court. Does this speak well of a so called Legendary Academic.Is not true she is an apology to the Ministry of education.NDC does not facts and the truth shall continue to elude them. NAPO is surrended by BETTER BRAINS not the ABLAKWA kind of thinkers.
MADAM MANA NA SIKA WOHE IS IT TRUE YOU LEFT A DEBT? PLEASE COME AND ANSWER