HIGH BRIDE PRICE AND CHILDCARE -Concerned Krobo mother disturbed

Tue, Feb 12, 2019

HIGH BRIDE PRICE AND CHILDCARE
-Concerned Krobo mother disturbed


Despite other people reconsidering bride price to lessen the marriage-threatening financial burden on the would-be husband, the picture remains the same among the Krobos in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

If, per the financial demands, the man and the woman, unfortunately, give birth out of wedlock, the man is allowed to be irresponsible as the woman's family impresses on her to take all the responsibilities in the child's upkeep till adulthood.

And in a situation where the man would want to have the woman and the child to stay with, he is allowed by her family to offer a sheep and take her and the child away.

The upholders of this tradition thought it would deter women to stay chaste till they are married but the opposite is the case, impoverishing the physical, psychological, emotional, social, educational and other aspects of the innocent child, triggered by teenage pregnancies.

But a proud Krobo mother and civic educator, Janet Mamle Wahiermeh, while discouraging premarital childbirth among the young women, is strongly advocating the reconsideration of the outrageous pride prices demanded from young would-be husbands so as to encourage more responsible parenting in the interests of the child, the family and the society.

Madam Janet stressed that she has approached some opinion leaders on the Kroboland on the issue but though some queen mothers and their male counterparts see the need for reforms, there is no glimmer of hope.

She is, therefore, calling on all concerned Krobos and others to join the advocacy since the practice is prevalent in one form or the other in other parts of the country and outside.

"Let us modernise the tradition because it is rather the good tradition that should go on, "

Madam Janet told editor Osei Kuffour in an exclusive interview.
And added that not even your Christian status can make it easy for you as far as the deeply rooted tradition is concerned.

When asked about the "dipo"(puberty rites) and its pros and cons in contemporary Ghana, she said it is another big subject for another discussion.


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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E: editorok5@gmail

VAL'S DAY NOT "SEXUAL DAY" -Woman to girls.

VAL'S DAY NOT "SEXUAL DAY"
-Woman to girls


Home Economics teacher and woman empowerment advocate, Clara Nyarko-Jectey, has sent her motherly message to girls ahead of the corrupted Valentine's Day, February 14.

"Valentine's Day is sharing of love by giving unconditionally to people. It's not a sexual day for the unmarried. Girls should take their time. When the time is right Mr. Right will come. The higher you go the better men you meet, " Mrs. Nyarko-Jectey spoke to the media.

She has also called on men to encourage girls and women to be as empowered as they (the men) are since the backing from her husband has helped her rise in life.


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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FOCUS ON SKILLS TRANSFER --UK-trained Ghanaian teacher

Mon, February 11, 2019




Joseph Asare, a professional teacher trained in Ghana and United Kingdom, has called on the Ghanaian government to prioritise skills transfer in its quest to make graduates employable.

Mr. Asare, who is the assistant headmaster of Joy Standard College in Kumasi, pointed out that from his exposures to both educational environments, Ghana's major limitation is the overemphasis on theory at the expense of critical problem-solving skills at all levels in our educational system.

He has, therefore, implored the Education Ministry and Service to make sure skills transfer take centre stage in the on-going curricula and teacher reforms to meet the 21st century educational standards and attain the Sustainable Development Goal(SDG) 4: Quality Education by 2030.

On teacher motivation, Mr. Asare intimated that his major source of  motivation is the positive feedback he gets from his students and not the salary, though very indispensable.

He also recollected his student days in Ofinso Training College(now Ofinso College of Education) with high sense of inspiration.

Mr. Asare spoke to his junior training college colleague, editor Osei Kuffour, as part of a series of educational advocacy interviews to whip up stakeholder interests in Ghana's educational transformation.


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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RADIO DAY: WHAT FOR CHILDREN? "Once a teacher, always a teacher, " goes the cliché!

RADIO DAY: WHAT FOR CHILDREN?


"Once a teacher, always a teacher, " goes the cliché!

This year's World Radio Day(February 13) marks my 13th year as educational radio broadcaster with a background as a trained teacher with distinction, quitting the classroom to "fight" for space on radio to continue what inspired me to get radio exposure as a quiz contestant at age 15.

The frustrations that greeted my desperations for my first educational radio broadcast on Saturday, February 25, 2006, have not changed, for reasons unreasonable to me.

The radio stations' "anthem" is

"Bring sponsors!"

when they spend hours airing somewhat morally questionable contents under the monitoring of our educated media and educational fraternity.

And if you're given a slot, you're given some needless deadline to stop the programme if no sponsor shows interest.

What's the meaning of education in the media's

"Inform, Educate, Entertain"

catch phrase?
Again, with reference to my piece,
YEAR OF READING: MY CONCERNS(1),
I ask Radio Ghana:

"Where is Everyday English' " ?; a Monday-Friday morning broadcast that benefitted your presenters more than any other listener.
If gold should rust, what will happen to iron?

Yes, the radio stations need money for workers for bread and butter issues(as Chief Psychiatrist Akwasi Osei always puts it) but the question I still put to you is

"What about the other not sponsored programmes?"

It is time we mutually partnered initiators of educational broadcasts to bring back the good old educational programmes, if we can't advance them.(Half a loaf is better than no bread)

To our local language advocates, please, arise because the languages are being infiltrated on radio by our unteachable media movers and shakers.
Where have standards gone?
YEAR OF READING?
I hesitate to continue!


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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E: editorok5@gmail

Mon, Feb 11, 2019

ATESE INSPIRES GIRL EDUCATION


Born Leona Osibo, Atese(Likpe or Sekpele name meaning "praise") started her basic education at the E.P. Primary School at Likpe Mate in the Oti Region of Ghana.

Her father's early retirement badly affected the early part of her education so her mother persuaded her(Atese's) father to transfer her to Happy Home Preparatory School in Hohoe in the Volta Region.

Since Atese lagged behind in class, per the syllabus, her father(a teacher) taught her at home all that she had missed in class.
She made it to Ola Senior High School in the Volta Region to read General Arts.
At the school she was amazed at the good backgrounds of her colleagues and asked herself:

" What can I do to improve basic education at deprived areas?
What change can I effect?

Realizing that more children needed better than they received, Atese resolved to help in the future.
She saw people donate to widows and widowers without taking the pain to find out how they made ends meet without their partners.
Atese said:

"I want to set up a foundation in future that will not just donate but teach the beneficiaries the skills to be self-providing. "

Atese wanted to get enough money before helping but her mother told her:

"You don't have to wait till then.
You just start and leave the rest to God. "

Atese proceeded to Accra Polytechnic(now Accra Technical University) and Methodist University College for her Higher National Diploma(HND) and degree respectively in marketing.

The inspiring mother and business executive has realised her charitable dream by setting up ATESE CARE FOUNDATION(ACF) to support quality basic education of children and the welfare of orphans, widows and widowers in deprived communities.

ACF's first gesture was a giveback(donating of teaching and learning materials, hand washing items and others) to Atese's alma mater, E.P. Primary School and then R/C Primary School at Likpe Mate, with the support of well-meaning philanthropists.

Atese encourages children, especially girls, to dream big and work hard at achieving their dreams in life.


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
Fb: Osei Kuffour OK
E: editorok5@gmail

IT'S ONE OF THE BEST DECISIONS -GNACOPS lauds "J/SHS Diplomas"

Sun, Feb 10, 2019



The Ghanaian National Council of Private Schools(GNACOPS) has welcomed the government's decision to upgrade the country's junior and senior high schools qualifications to diploma certificates to better position the graduates for jobs.

Speaking to the media on Sunday, the National Executive Director of GNACOPS, Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah, was quick to state that
"It's one of the best decisions the Education Ministry has hinted to implement.
It will help in the quest to reduce the high unemployment rate due to the low value employers place on the current basic and senior high school certificates.
As private schools we're also doing our best.
People have even worked extensively with the old Middle School Leaving Certificates(MSLC) so if we can upgrade the current junior and senior high schools curricula and put the right frameworks into action we can make it.
Elsewhere, junior and senior high schools graduates study what better place them in the world of work at such early stage in their lives and they also timely upgrade themselves to acquire terminal degrees(PhDs), unlike our part of the world where PhDs are commonest among the old adults."

The good news came when the Education Minister, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, spoke at the 2019 Danquah Institute Leadership Lecture under the theme
"World Class Education and Imperative for the Next Generation of Leaders".


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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E: editorok5@gmail

THE CHILD AND MENTAL HEALTH -A student's suicide story

Sun, Feb 10, 2019

But for the Sunday School at church this junior high student would have taken his life when he lost his close relative and bread winner about 6years ago.

He went to the Sunday School during his suicide contemplation moments and the encouraging words that were ministered to him gave him hope so he stopped killing himself.

He has, therefore, encouraged his colleagues to have hope in life rather than always looking at the hopeless side.

When contacted, the Chief Psychiatrist and first Chief Executive Officer of the Ghanaian Mental Health Authority, Dr. Akwasi Osei, had the following for every member of the society:

"Suicide or attempted suicide is not a crime.
Someone saying 'I will kill myself ' is a cry for help and we must draw closer to them to encourage them to open up on what bother them and seek professional attention and care for them."

According to the World Health Organization(WHO), suicide(intentionally killing oneself) is the second leading cause of death in 15-19years age group.


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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E: editorok5@gmail

VALUE THE CHILD'S TALENT -Expert scout advises

Sat, Feb 09, 2019



"Every child has one talent or the other that the parents must identify through the child's display of interest or natural flair in an activity and encourage them to excel in, " says renowned talent scout Benedict Yartey.

Mr. Yartey further admonishes parents not to overemphasise grammar education to kill the child's talent but create the motivating environment for them to develop it.
The parents can enrol the child in a talent school or encourage them to be active in extracurricular activities in school, citing his case as a talented child footballer who was discouraged by his parents to quit his first promising love.

The resident judge of TV3 Talented Kidz reality show bemoaned the situation where in our part of the world we do not have much disposable income to invest in the child's talent development.

On the internationally acclaimed 11-year old DJ Switch who emerged the winner in the 2017 edition of Talented Kidz, Mr. Yartey advised her management to ensure that as a minor she balances her academic and deejaying lives.
Also, they should always remind her as a child and guide her speech.
Finally, they should give her more exposure to enhance her confidence and high self-esteem.

Multi talented academic, Benedict Yartey, spoke on Obuasi-based Shaft 98.1 News@6pm co-hosted by Aboagye Dacosta on Friday, February 08, when coincidentally, a child commentator from Obuasi was auditioned in Kumasi for the 10th anniversary edition of the show.


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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E: editorok5@gmail

YEAR OF READING: MY CONCERNS(1)

Sun, Feb 10, 2019


It's refreshing to hear the Ghanaian Library Authority(GLA) declare 2019 as a YEAR OF READING!
It's refreshing to hear them partner the Ghanaian National Council of Private Schools(GNACOPS) in providing library vans to supply books to private schools without libraries!

It's refreshing to see the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, through her foundation, start a reading programme on GTV!
It's refreshing to read and hear Anis Haffar, Benedict Yartey, others on reading on various platforms!
It's refreshing...!

BUT I have questions;

1. Is reading a one year wonder?
2. Are the books in our libraries relevant to our nation building?
3. How well have we advocated reading in our local languages?
4. How well do our reading instructors read?
5. How many children even know how to hold a book well when reading?
6. Where's Radio Ghana's "Everyday English" ?
7. Where's one of the budgeted 60 libraries the Ghana@60 government promised to build?
8. How far with the Education Ministry/Service, partners first 30mins of instructional time reading initiative in basic schools?
9. What has become of  the Chief Examiner's annual reports of poor reading and comprehension as major causes of mass failures in the BECE, WASSCE, others?
10. How far with the L1 Policy?

To our articulate educational policy makers and implementers, a word to the wise is enough!


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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E: editorok5@gmail

NO PRIVATE TEACHER LAYOFFS -GNACOPS assures members

Fri, Feb 08, 2019

Thousands of Ghanaian private school teachers who are anxious of job losses following the mandatory teacher licencing can be rest assured of job security from their internal regulator, Ghanaian National Council of Private Schools(GNACOPS).

In an exclusive interview with editor Osei Kuffour, the National Executive Director of GNACOPS, Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah, broke the news that there is going to be a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) between Neogenics Educational Centre and GNACOPS to train the affected teachers within four years and upon successful completion of their training they shall be lincenced by the government.

Mr. Gyetuah added that while under training, these members will serve as teaching assistants and given monthly allowances by the council.

He has, therefore, encouraged all affected teachers to take advantage of the training for job security and advancement.

In a related development, the council is partnering the Ghanaian Library Authority(GLA) in all activities to mark 2019 as READING year to revive the culture of  reading among Ghanaian children.


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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E: editorok5@gmail

PRIVATE EDUCATION IN GHANA -GNACOPS to the rescue

Fri, Feb 08, 2019

PRIVATE EDUCATION IN GHANA
-GNACOPS to the rescue


Just when more private senior high schools in Ghana are about giving up on their over 60years invaluable contributions to the socio-economic development of the country due to collapse and job losses, a saviour has emerged.

Unlike the Ghanaian National Association of Private Schools(GNAPS) which is like a socialisation group limited by shares and made up of proprietors/proprietresses only who, per the new educational reforms, do not have the locus to internally regulate private education and better engage the government, the National Council of Private Schools(GNACOPS) is the first ever internal regulatory body made up of owners, heads, teachers and parents, and has made history as the first private regulatory educational body to meet a sitting president of Ghana on the advancement of the sector.

Speaking on Obuasi-based Shaft 98.1 News@6pm on Thursday, February 07, the National Executive Director(NED) of GNACOPS, Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah, disclosed that within their one year of existence, it is refreshing to hear that from 2020, all things being equal, 50% of the Basic Education Certificate Examination(BECE) registration fee will be absorbed by the government.
The council has also partnered the Ghanaian Library Authority(GLA) to provide library vans to go round all private schools in the country to stock those without libraries with books.
Further, plans are in place for the government to consider the private sector in the Free/Double-Track Senior High School(SHS) system.

Mr. Gyetuah also revealed that the about 800,000 untrained teachers with the over 22,000 private schools across the country will be given the opportunities to get trained for teaching licences as required by the government before being re-engaged as staff.
This is towards the attaining of the Sustainable Development Goal(SDG) 4 on Quality Education by 2030.

Early on, the director of Joy Standard Schools in Kumasi, Stephen Donkor, had, on the same media platform, raised such troubling concerns which GNACOPS has come to address.

GNACOPS has, therefore, extended invitation to all private schools who have not joined to do so in their best interest.
GNACOPS leadership comprises national directors, regional coordinators and local supervisors.


✍🏽: Osei Kuffour
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E: editorok5@gmail