Education Minister inaugurates National Inspectorate Board
The Minister of Education, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has inaugurated a 15-member governing board of the National Inspectorate Board (NIB) and tasked it to set up inspection panels to inspect schools periodically.
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That, he said, could be done periodically at the discretion of the board or specifically through the initiative of a credible stakeholder association or organisation.
Dr Prempeh explained that the panels would provide an independent external evaluation of the quality, standards and learning environment in the school.
Board members
The board has Professor Ericmagnus Wilmort, a government nominee, with the membership made up of Mrs Cynthia Efua Bosomtwi-Sam of the NIB, Dr Charles Yeboah, Madam Irene Osei Bonsu, Madam Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Dankwa and Dr Dorothy Glover as government nominees.
The others are Mr Dave Anane Druyeh from the National Catholic Secretariat, Mr Prince Kusi Quaidoo from the National Association of Private Schools, Rev. Dr Emmanuel Adow Obeng, from the Christian Council of Ghana and Mr Felix Akuffo-Badoo from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The rest are Mr Dimbie Mumuni Issah from the Ahamadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana, Dr Samuel A. Kyereme from the Joint Anglican Diocesan Council of Ghana, Dr Christina Boateng representing the Council for Technical Vocational Education and Training (COTVET) and Mrs Jacqueline K. Sory from the Ghana Education Service (GES).
Focus of panels
Dr Prempeh said the focus of the panels to be set would be on the quality of leadership and management, the quality of teaching and learning, the standard of academic achievement, the academic, physical and recreational facilities available, as well as the system of internal and external examinations.
Functions of board
Dr Prempeh said among other things, the board would be required to undertake periodic inspection of schools, evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in schools, as well as set and enforce quality standards that must be observed.
He said the NIB was expected to publish reports on the status of education delivery in the country to Parliament through the Ministry of Education.
Best practices
Dr Prempeh charged the board to also explore what was happening in other jurisdictions which could help Ghana and also improve upon her accountability structures.
“For instance, in some countries, mobile technology is being used to monitor teacher presence and teacher time on task. This is an effective way of harnessing technology to improve upon teaching outcomes in our schools.
“I urge you to partner institutions that have a similar mandate such as the OFSTED in the United Kingdom to help you ensure fair and transparent accountable processes in your work. This will in turn ensure public confidence and trust in your work,” Dr Prempeh charged the board.