President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has assured that the highly talked about Free Senior High School policy will not compromise on quality.
Launching the policy at the West Africa Secondary School in Accra Tuesday, Nana Akufo-Addo said teachers will be empowered and well-resourced under the policy to effectively discharge their duties.
“We are committed to teacher professional development,” Nana Addo pointed out, adding the UK government and the DFID are investing over 17 million Pounds in “teacher education.”
He said the teacher training programme “will enhance quality education delivery and we look forward to its implementation after 2018.”
“If we are to succeed as a nation, and if we accept that education is central to national development, then it is clear that quality teacher training is vital to our nation’s development. It is for this reason that we are committed to teacher professional development through schemes such as Transforming Teacher Education and Learning (T-TEL).
“Government continues to implement T-Tel at a cost of 17 million pounds sterling. T-Tel is a four-year Government of Ghana programme supported by the UK’s Department for International Department (DFID). It seeks to transform the delivery of pre-service teacher education in Ghana, by improving the quality of teacher education and learning through support to all public Colleges of Education from 2014 to 2018.
“The programme will enhance quality education delivery in our Colleges of Education, and we look forward to its continuous implementation after 2018. The restoration of the teacher trainee allowance, which also begins today, is part of the comprehensive policy of engendering the production of quality teachers.
“A key component of the policy must be the provision of quality education, the government is collaborating with various partners to implement major programs and interventions such as the Secondary education Improvement Program, the expansion of physical infrastructure and free supply of core subject text books to students,” Nana Addo stated.
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has cast doubt over the policy, stressing it is not sustainable.
However, President Akufo-Addo is optimistic his key campaign policy will stand the test of time.
“We may falter, but we shall not fall.” According to him, Ghanaians must embrace the policy because it is going to benefit “people from all walks of life.”
President Akufo-Addo noted the education policy must not be politicised because education serves as a bedrock to nation development hence the need for all hands to come on deck to ensure a successful policy.
“We are ready to accept in all humility inputs and criticisms,” President Akufo-Addo opined.
He added: “The policy is not about New Patriotic Party (NPP) or NDC. The beneficiaries are not NPP but Ghanaians from all walks of life and this is about Ghana and how best to build a progressive and prosperous future generation. All Ghanaians should support the policy to ensure its success.”
“I have chosen to invest in the future of our youth,” Nana Addo remarked.
