Your Excellency, President of the Republic, Honourable members of Parliament, Nananom, Directors and members of GNACOPS, Educational Stakeholders, members of the Press, Ladies and Gentlemen
I am highly elated to be part of this day which marks the first ever national conference of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools, (GNACOPS).
Today, we have met here from far and near to take stock as to how far we as a council have gone in our almost one year journey in the quest for quality education delivery. This Conference, under the theme “Redefining the Phase of Private School Education in Ghana”, will also be a forum for stakeholders in education delivery in Ghana to further deliberate effective ways by which GNACOPS, representing the private school sector, can augment the public-private partnership policy of the government in educational delivery in Ghana. To this end, a proposed national private school policy, will be discussed and presented to government for further action. This is because, contrary to popular belief that government has left private schools to their fate, the fact is that talks behind the scenes with government and affiliated agencies are far advanced and it is our hope that this conference will further cement this good relationship and open a new chapter for the growth of private schools.
Your Excellency, Nananom, ladies and gentlemen, John Dewey, sees education as “not a preparation for life but as life itself”. In recent times, the occupational demands of our society and the entire world are rapidly changing. Richard Riley, is of the view that Today’s Teachers, and for that matter educational systems, should be positioned to prepare learners for jobs and technologies that don’t yet exist … in order to solve problems that we don’t even know are problems yet. In this light, GNACOPS has started a series of programs aimed at incorporating reskilling in both the teachers and administrators of private schools in accordance with the World Economic Forum’s conventions on the future of jobs and learning.
Mr Chairman, ladies and Gentlemen, in the year under review, Gnacops partnered a number of both local and foreign organisations to ensure that private schools in Ghana acquire the necessary logistics and inputs to facilitate effective educational delivery. Already, in partnership with the CECIYAA foundation of Ghana and the USA, Gnacops have established 120 library and reading centres across six regions in Ghana,to various private schools in Ghana with pragmatic measures to ensure effective usageof the books for its intended users
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In May this year, GNACOPS, in partnership with Zepto, organised a one-day intensive workshop on ICT and the use of new technologies in teaching and learning for a cross-section of private school teachers in Ghana.
For close to about 5months now, the GNACOPS TV talk show dubbed “Nimde3 Kwankyer3”, which showcase both academic and co-curricular activities of various private schools has been rolling on Royal TV every Saturday afternoon. I will like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to our various sponsors. Currently, talks and consultations are underway with two funding institutions, namely the Educational Outcome Foundation and SGL Royal Capital, to help make funding accessible to private schools.
Today, together with the CECIYAA foundation, GNACOPS will launch the GNACOPSFEED and the GNACOPS-WEAR projects.
Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, good nutrition is very important in the growth of every child. GNACOP-FEED is therefore a project to ensure that various private schools in Ghana gets access to as much as possible to quality organic food at a comparatively lower price. GNACOPS-WEAR, on the other hand, is aimed at helping schools in the provision of expertly tailored school uniforms for the children.
Another project to be launched today is the GNACOPS Volunteer Service Department. This project is aimed at ensuring not just the quality of teachers in private schools but also, the periodic and systematic upgrading of such teachers.
Mr Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen, Abraham Lincoln once said that “a nation that does not honour its heroes will not long endure”. In this light, GNACOPS will today present awards to a number of institutions, administrators and teachers whose selflessness in the rendering of their activities has brought us this far.
Finally, there will be the presentation of GNACOPS draft policy on Private School Education in Ghana, to be presented to government got consideration and further discussions
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, the task ahead in ensuring a sound and holistic human development through private school education is a big one. In spite of the numerous challenges and inadequate available resources, coupled with unfavourable national policies on education, let us re-echo the Chinese proverb that “it is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness”. Our collective individual strength will garner enough force to help us surmount every obstacle in our quest for an innovative, values-driven, excellent quality and internationally acceptable education delivery for the future generation.
Thank you.
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