Reports indicate that the government through the ministry of education has asked heads of public schools in the country not to allow teachers under their supervision to enroll onto sandwich programmes. Sources indicate that this information was made known to some teachers through the Conference of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS). The ministry alleged that teachers abandon their teaching duties to pursue such courses.
However, teachers who are on such programmes expressed contrary views. They argued that the sandwich programmes coincide with the long vacations. Some of the teachers expressed their utter dismay at this decision by the education ministry, which left them with no option than to question the leadership style of the education minister.
“It is the duty of the minister to negotiate with the vice-chancellors to schedule the programme to perfectly align with the long vacations.”
Teachers are not happy about this directive as this is seen as a deliberate move by the political leadership to impede the personal development of teachers in Ghana.
It is a crime for any teacher to go for further education without study leave. But teachers complained bitterly since many of them find it challenging to secure study leave. Their frustrations are not only at the government.
They blamed their associations-NAGRAT and GNAT for been silent over this unhealthy development. The teachers appealed to the education minister to negotiate with the universities over the timing of the sandwich programmes.
Universities in the country organize sandwich courses for people who are in careers but cannot enroll for regular courses. And a cursory survey may position teachers as the greater patrons of the sandwich courses.
Zuberu Aliu,
(Bimbilla).
