The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has expressed its readiness to participate in the National Education Forum to address key issues affecting the country’s education system.
This follows the formation of an eight-member committee by President John Dramani Mahama to organize the forum, aimed at finding solutions to improve education in Ghana.
In an interview on Channel One Newsroom, GNAT’s General Secretary, Thomas Tanko Musah, highlighted several challenges, including outstanding debts owed to the West African Examination Council (WAEC), issues with funding the School Feeding Programme for basic schools, and unpaid capitation grants.
Musah also raised concerns about student indiscipline in some Senior High Schools, calling for changes in the way discipline is handled.
Musah emphasized that the biggest problem is a lack of funding. He pointed out that the capitation grant has been overdue for over two years, WAEC is owed more than GH¢100 million, and the School Feeding Programme is underfunded, with only GH¢1.30 allocated per student per day.
He also stressed the importance of training students not only with knowledge but also with good character, warning that neglecting this could lead to future problems.
Lastly, he called for a reevaluation of the role of headmasters in schools, as they have been increasingly sidelined, which could lead to serious consequences for education in the future.
