Camfed Ghana, GES outdoor documents to improve education

By Lydia
Kukua Asamoah, GNA

Accra, June 6, GNA – Camfed Ghana, in
collaboration with the Ghana Education Service (GES), has developed three
documents that would enhance teaching and learning as well as the delivery of
quality guidance and counselling services within the school system.

The documents; Five-year Guidance and
Counselling Strategic Plan, the Teacher Mentor Training Manual, and the Civic
Education Handbook for Students, were launched on Wednesday in Accra at the
Annual Learning Summit of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme.

The documents were borne out of deliberations
between Camfed Ghana and the Guidance and Counselling Unit of the GES after the
2016 Annual Learning Summit that discussed support services to students with
emphasis on guidance and counselling services in the school sector.

The Annual Summit, aimed at bringing
stakeholders in education together to discuss issues that would enhance quality
education in Ghana, was held on the theme: “Implementing the National Guidance
and Counselling Strategic Plan: Call to all Stakeholders”.

Mr John Asibi Ali, the National Director,
Camfed Ghana, said his Organisation decided to support the development of the
documents to assist in enhancing counselling services while improving training,
guidance and counselling coordinators and counsellors.

He said the Civic Education Handbook was
proposed by Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh, the Minister of Education, to be developed
for pre-tertiary students.

Mr Ali stated that the Guidance and Strategic
Plan, with a five-year implementation plan, would be the blue print that would
guide a holistic and effective guidance and counselling services delivery in
schools, as well as serve as a monitoring and evaluation tool for the Guidance
and Counselling Unit to assess the delivery services in pre-tertiary
schools. 

The Civic Handbook was to enlighten
pre-tertiary school student and help them imbibe the attitudes of nationalism,
civic mindedness, entrepreneurship and social etiquette in the service of self,
community and country. 

The Teacher Mentor Training Manual would be
the main curriculum that would guide the delivery of a holistic training
programme to teacher mentors/guidance and counselling coordinators and
counsellors in pre-tertiary schools in Ghana.

Mr Ali said the documents must be fully
implemented in the schools to aid proper teaching and learning among students
and to ensure a well-bred human resources for the country.

He, therefore, urged all stakeholders
attending the Annual Summit to dispassionately discuss the issues and come out
with decision and actions for implementing the strategic plan.

Mr Ernest Otoo, a Director at the Ministry of
Education, who represented the Minister of Education, launched the documents
and commended Camfed Ghana for the critical role it was playing in supporting
education in Ghana, especially girls’ education.

He said Ghana was working hard to ensure
quality education while creating opportunities for graduates to be able to fit
into society and contribute to the processes of national development.

He said the country was currently implementing
an education strategic plan that spanned 2018-2030, which tallied with global
education reforms and in line with the SDG 4, enjoining all countries to ensure
an inclusive quality education and promote life learning opportunities for all
people.

Mr Otoo said government would need the support
of all stakeholders to provide quality, equitable and all-inclusive education
for all Ghanaian students. 

Dr Augustine Tawiah, a Member of Parliament
for Bia West, and a member of the Select Committee on Education, who chaired
the function, said in providing holistic education, guidance and counselling
were non-negotiable so the needed resources should be provided to ensure more
proactive counselling units to guide students.

Ms Kathleen Williams, a Consultant, who
undertook the research that culminated in the five-year Guidance and
Counselling Strategic Plan, said GH¢27.6 million would be needed to implement
the-five project, which has an annual breakdown of five million cedis.

She mentioned some of the activities to be
carried out as strengthening capacities of counsellors in schools, training
more counsellors, and creating awareness in schools and communities on the
importance of guidance and counselling.

GNA

قالب وردپرس