GATE members asked to write more novels
Teachers of English Language have been urged to write more novels as a way of inculcating the habit of writing and reading among junior and senior high school students, to improve their performance, particularly, in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
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The Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Quality and Access, Mrs Felicia Boakye Yiadom, who made the call at a workshop in Accra last Friday, said the introduction of Literature as an examinable subject in the upcoming BECE required more efforts by teachers to make the subject understandable to the students.
“It is the teacher who can understand their students better and I urge teachers to take advantage of their writing ability and skills to ensure good reading habits, as well as improve the general performance of students in this year’s BECE,” she said.
The workshop
The workshop, which was organised by the Greater Accra Regional branch of the Ghana Association of Teachers of English (GATE), was aimed at sharing ideas and knowledge in current developments in the language.
It brought together junior and senior high school teachers who were enlightened on the need to get used to the modern trends of teaching, particular, the English Language, and how to impact knowledge to students.
This had become necessary because of the West African Examination Council’s (WAEC’s) decision to introduce Literature as an examinable subject, starting with this year’s BECE.
Habitual reading
Mrs Boakye Yiadom underscored the importance of the study of English Language, noting that the language was a major tool of formal communication for Ghanaians.
She encouraged teachers to ensure that at least, every student read five supplementary books before the term ended, and added that reading challenges of students could be identified through monitoring.
Role of teachers
In an address, the Greater Accra Regional Director of Education, Dr Peter Attafuah, said teachers who helped to lay the foundation for children’s education, had a challenging role in seeking a brighter future for their students by teaching well and encouraging them to study and acquire knowledge.
He said it was their responsibility to give maximum support to their students even if that would call for change in the arrangement of the classroom to make them to understand what teachers taught better.
For her part, the Assistant Director of the British Council, Ghana (BCG), Ms Emily Sawle Thomas, said the council was working closely with the Ministry of Education to support the improvement of the teaching of English in the country.