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Adopt innovative ways in making the classroom interactive, Teachers, headteachers urged
The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has admonished heads of schools and teachers to adopt innovative ways of making the classroom receptive and interactive for students.
He said creating such atmosphere apart from yielding greater learning outcomes also helped in forging a sense of belongingness among the students thereby helping them realise their full potential.
“We students walk into our classrooms, walk into our schools and they don’t feel like they belong, they develop their perception about what the teacher is thinking about them. But if they feel belonging and belongingness is there, even if you scold them, they think you care about them and that is why you are telling them what to do and not to do,” he explained.
Dr Adutwum made the call at the opening of the 12th Teaching and learning conference organised under the auspices of The Educators Network (TEN) in collaboration with the Lincoln Community School (LCS) in Accra on Saturday.
This year’s conference which witnessed more than 500 participants- teachers and headteachers from across the country was on the theme: “Belonging”.
The theme: “Belonging found expression in the Ghanaian wax print “Kwadusawuo” or “Bunch of bananas” which reflects individual single bananas intricately weaved and growing together.
Dr Adutwum said education continued to be a major pillar in the development agenda of the government and the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo was investing massively in the sector to ensure that students received the kind of education that would enable them to cope with the demands of the 21st century.
He said in addition, to providing the needed infrastructure, the government was also focusing on teacher development since teachers were very critical in the attainment of quality education outcomes.
“Most of our children come from challenging environments and if we want them to have opportunities to be able to experience what the majority in other societies in the advanced economies were experiencing then we have to be creative by creating a different learning environment,” he said.
Dr Adutwum said the time had come for teachers to begin to look at diversity as part of schools and realise that the children were from diverse homes and create an environment that made them feel integrated.
The Head of School at LCS, Ms Lesley Tait explained that the choice of this year’s theme and the use of the wax print was to demonstrate how belonging helped each member of a group developed together.
She said just as the banana never grew individually by itself, so it was that no individual could develop all by him or herself, stressing that “Like the Kwadu, those of us, all of us in the hall this morning that work in education know that together we can achieve anything that we put our minds on.”
She said at the LCS, together they were working to ensure that students experienced a sense of belonging in the classroom every day.
Ms Tait said the education environment had changed a lot across the world with the focus changing from teaching to learning.
“Schools and Education systems have survived a worldwide pandemic like none that we have ever seen before. With online learning in education becoming the norm,” she added.
Some of the topics participants were taken through were, ‘Powerful Literacy Teaching Through Inquiry and Play’, ‘Creating an Atmosphere of Mathematical Thinkers’, and ‘Supporting Struggling Readers and Writers’.
By Cliff Ekuful
The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has called for urgent and decisive action following recent xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians living in South Africa.
In a statement issued in Accra on April 29, the caucus expressed concern about what it described as a growing pattern of violence against foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, in areas such as KwaZulu-Natal, Durban and Gauteng.
The group noted that Ghanaian-owned businesses have been attacked, while some individuals have been harassed and assaulted. It added that, in certain cases, victims have also been denied access to essential services.
According to the statement, claims that foreign nationals are responsible for crime and economic hardship are unfounded and should be rejected.
The caucus referred to the widely circulated assault of a Ghanaian, Emmanuel Asamoah, as an example of the severity of the situation. It also raised concern about reports that some incidents occurred in the presence of law enforcement officers without effective intervention.
The Minority acknowledged steps taken by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, including his engagement with South African authorities and efforts to provide consular support to affected Ghanaians.
It noted the public condemnation of the attacks by President Cyril Ramaphosa, describing these as necessary but not sufficient.
The caucus called on the South African government to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible and to hold security agencies accountable where they fail to act.
It urged authorities to take practical steps to protect foreign nationals across the country.
On the part of Ghana, the Minority urged the government to adopt a stronger and more structured response.
It called for direct engagement between President John Dramani Mahama and President Ramaphosa to secure firm commitments on the safety of Ghanaians.
The statement further recommended increased consular support for citizens in affected areas and called for the issue to be escalated to the African Union for an urgent inquiry into recurring xenophobic attacks.
It urged the government to work with regional partners within ECOWAS to present a unified response.
The Minority suggested that Ghana should seek assurances from South Africa, including confirmed arrests, clear prosecution processes and a plan to protect foreign nationals.
It added that compensation should be considered for victims who have suffered losses.
The statement, signed by the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, urged Ghanaians in South Africa to remain cautious and maintain contact with the Ghana High Commission.
It stressed that Ghana must act firmly to protect its citizens and uphold the principles of cooperation and solidarity among African countries.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Climate Change and Sustainability Ministry backs WiSA International Festival to promote women-led climate action
The Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability has expressed support for the Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) International Festival, aimed at promoting inclusive climate action and sustainable development across the continent.
In a statement, the Office said it recognises WiSA as an important platform that brings together governments, development partners, the private sector and civil society to drive climate solutions and economic transformation.
The Festival is scheduled to take place on May 1, 2026, at the Cedi Conference Centre from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
This year’s event under the theme: Empowering Women For The Economic Sustainability of Africa, will feature, Liu Yaw Nana, Acting Secretary of Ghana-Chinese Business Chamber of Commerce, Issifu Seidu, Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Dr.Agness Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Bishop E.O Ansah, General Overseer, Eternal Life Church, President, Women’s Development Association, Turkey, Nilgün Zaimoğlu and Chief of Government Relations and Africa UN Global Compact.
Additionally, it will host, Dr.Charity Binka, Chairperson, Chairperson, African Women Leaders Network , Pearl Opoku, Trader and GUTA National Organiser, Lydia Abbey, Makola Market Queen, actress Juliet Ibrahim, CEO of FZ Global Legacy, Francesca Zoppi, The Revival Founder, Yayra Agbofah and many others.
According to the statement, WiSA’s vision, led by Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, aligns with national and continental goals on climate resilience, green growth and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Office noted that WiSA’s focus on empowering women as key drivers of sustainability and economic productivity is a practical approach to addressing climate challenges and development gaps.
It highlighted WiSA’s track record of engaging global institutions and organising multi-stakeholder events as evidence of its ability to mobilise partnerships and deliver results.
The Ministry said the 2026 Festival presents an opportunity to promote climate-smart investments, green innovation and scalable solutions in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and the circular economy.
It added that the event will also support public-private partnerships and strengthen Africa-led solutions in global sustainability discussions.
As part of its commitment, the Office said it will support policy coordination, facilitate engagement with relevant government agencies, and promote an enabling environment for climate finance and green investments.
It also pledged to contribute to knowledge sharing, technical support and stakeholder mobilisation.
The statement emphasised that investing in initiatives like WiSA is key to driving inclusive economic growth, building resilience and achieving long-term development goals.
It further stressed that empowering women remains central to delivering sustainable and equitable outcomes.
The Office called on organisations to partner with WiSA to support climate action and sustainable development efforts across Africa.
By: Jacob Aggrey
