Hot!
‘Free SHS is meaningless without the support of parents’ – National Council of PTA
The Western Regional Chairman of the National Council of Parent Teacher Associations, Daniel Vroom-Laryea, has bemoaned the fact that government has excluded from the management of the senior High schools.
According to him, although the free Senior High School policy is a good one, it will not succeed without the support of parents.
“Parents are now being prevented from helping the schools, but we must know that free SHS is meaningless without the support of parents. We even recorded over 21 pregnancies in one of the senior high schools last year, because the school had no wall, and the students were being sneaked out. We are not being made to help, the government has stopped PTA from doing everything in the schools and that is a problem”, he added.
Mr. Vroom-Laryea said this in an interview on Connect FM’s Omanbapa morning show on January 15.
His comment was in reaction to a revelation by the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolitan Director of the Ghana Education Service, Sally Nelly Coleman that over 137,000 fresh students placed in the 2023 Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) into Senior High Schools and Technical and Vocational Education and Training Schools across the country, have not showed up for admissions in their various Senior High Schools.
It would be recalled that the Ghana Education Service in the latter part of last year, released the computer placement list for fresh students who were to be admitted into the various Senior High Schools in the country. The reopening date was also stated as January 3, 2024.
Mr Coleman, in an interview on the same show, described the situation as very worrying.
“About 590,000 were placed in the various schools nationwide. So far, 453,000 have reported for admissions. So about 137,000 are still home, they have not reported to their various schools for admissions. We are pleading with parents to go for the admissions” ” she lamented.
Mr. Vroom-Laryea said the situation could be attributed to what he termed unfavourable reopening date.
“The re-opening date for the schools was not favorable for both parents and the students. Cocoa farmers in the rural areas are complaining that they had little yield in the year and so they don’t have the money to take their children to school. They must fill their chop boxes, some parents are even renting for their children to be in school, they must buy a lot of things for them to be in school. So, all those who have not reported, it is due to financial issues. The free SHS is becoming more expensive than we thought. There are more hidden issues to the free senior high school than we have all been made to believe,” he indicated.
Source: 3news.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
