0% in examinations would no longer be tolerated - Minister

Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Minister has stated that the scoring of zero percent in examinations by schools was not acceptable considering the huge investments government makes in education. He called for the overhauling and strengthening of the supervision division of the directorates of education, adding that heads of public schools be tasked to perform better and render accounts of examination results. The Regional Minister was addressing the 16th conference of Directors of Education (CODE) at Koforidua on the theme, "Financing Pre-tertiary Education-the Role of Stakeholders". Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the scoring of zero percent at the basic examination levels calls on directors of education to re-double their efforts and performances. He said directors of education must ensure judicious spending of funds according to lay down procedures, and also ensure that teachers who go on study leave with government pay, returned to the classroom to improve the standards of education. Dr Joseph Annan, the Deputy Minister for Education said as managers of education it behoved on them to ensure that government had value for money by supervising the activities of the schools to ensure that standards were not compromised. He indicated that government's heavy investments in infrastructure and logistics must get a responsive performance from directors who managed the educational system as a stakeholder. Dr Annan noted that for the parent stakeholder not to be overburdened with its role, government had introduced subsidies to alleviate the plight of the parent and urge the directors to ensure that schools did not levy the children. The Deputy Minister, said government also recognized the relevance of technical and vocational education and would therefore accelerate enrolment into such courses to meet the demands of the oil industry. He said without the technical and vocational education, Ghana might not benefit fully from its oil industry, as skills such as welding, plumbing and other related ones would have to be imported. Dr Annan assured the directors that Government would improve the conditions of service of teachers especially the directors and urge them to discharge their duties assiduously to justify the call for better conditions from government. The President of CODE, Mrs. Sophia Awotwi, said as directors they were confronted with challenges of indiscipline especially among teachers. She called for empowerment by the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education, by standing by them when it came to unwarranted opposition towards disciplinary measures taken, so that the dignity of the director was not further compromised.