I was taken aback when an appeal made to the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Adutwum to reconsider the reporting date for first year Senior High School (SHS) students was blatantly ignored.
True to his word, the first year students are reporting today December 4, 2023 as reported by Adomonline.com
A peeved Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin on Thursday, November 30 urged the Education Ministry to reconsider its decision for fresh students to report to school on Monday, December 4, 2023 which is barely a week after their placement.
This, he explained is because majority of students are now picking prospectuses from the school’s enrolling them.
Mr. Bagbin has therefore summoned the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum to appear before Parliament on Monday December 4 to reverse the decision.
In a quick rebuttal, a statement from the Education Ministry insists on the December 4 reopening date.
It explained that, the academic calendar was put out several weeks before now, therefore parents were supposed to make adequate preparations prior to the reopening.
WHAT! In this hand-to mouth economy you expect parents who can hardly make ends meet use just a week to mobilise resources for their wards? I beg to differ.
Though the Minister has said the first-year students who are unable to report on the first day will not automatically lose their slots, what is the rush?
And wait, the schedule affects both students on single and double-track system, as mentioned in the 2023/2024 academic calendar released by the Ghana Education Service (GES) which makes the issue worst.
I feel the Education Ministry is choking parents by forcing this date down their throat few weeks to Christmas.
Wait, are they going to pay schools fees for the just two or three weeks in school?
Oh Mr. Minister! Come again aaah ba
I rest my case.