By: Kingsley Nana Buadu
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Education has charged heads of Senior High Schools to strictly enforce the Ghana Education Service (GES) policy and code of conduct especially regarding the use of Mobil phones by students on their campuses as well as other indiscipline behaviors.
The use of mobile phones in the various Senior High Schools by students , according to most school authorities, is a major distraction to the students and a challenge the schools are confronted with.
This came up during a visit to some selected Senior High Schools in the central Region by the parliamentary select committee on Education.
Top on the agenda of the two day monitoring exercise to the selected Senior High Schools by the committee was to gather first hand information on progress and challenges the school’s are confronted with.
They also assessed, verified and evaluated information in the area of infrastructural deficit, abandoned projects, academic situation and the impact of the double-track system on the schools.
The transition process towards the single-track system was also looked at.
The committee first called on the Central Regional Minister , Eduamoah Ekow Panyin Okyere, at the regional office who gave them some heads-up on areas the committee needs to factor in their monitoring exercise especially feeding.
The schools visited include the Holy Child S.H.S, Ghana National College, Adisadel College, Efutu Senior High, Aburaman Senior High and Aggrey Memorial.
Apart from the many abandoned school infrastructural projects which was a major concern from all schools visited, others include inadequate teaching and non-teaching staff to match the growing enrollment and indiscipline among some of the students.
The use of mobile phones by the students in the schools is a major issue.
According to the authorities, aside the distractions, it is use to invite friends especially the opposite sex for inappropriate activities on the campuses.
The Chairman of the Committee Mr. Peter Nortsu Kortoe, who is also the MP for Akatsi North, stressed the need for the uncompleted projects to be completed as soon as possible.
He again urged school authorities to be strict on students who use Mobil phones in school since it’s against GES policy.
The Ranking member on the Committee, Mr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, was impressed about the academic performance of most of the schools and charged the authorities to enforce the GES policy and code of conduct.
