SHS 1 reporting date remains today — GES
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has insisted that the reporting date for first-year senior high school (SHS) students remains today, December 4, as stated on the placement form.
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There have been various calls from a cross-section of Ghanaians, urging the GES to reschedule the reporting date to allow the fresh students adequate time to prepare.
Last Thursday, Parliament, for instance, called on the Minister of Education to consider rescheduling the reporting date to the first week in January.
The legislative arm of government was of the view that the rescheduling of the reopening date to January would afford parents, students and teachers adequate preparation for the new academic year.
“Due to the short notice with its attendant inconvenience to students, parents, teaching and non-teaching staff, the House proposes for the consideration of the Minister of Education the first week of January 2024 as a more convenient and appropriate time for parents, students and teachers to adequately prepare for academic work,” the Parliamentary Service said.
No change
However, a statement released by the GES said there was no change in date, with registration and orientation expected to commence today.
“Per the academic calendar, there would be Christmas break on December 21, 2023, and resume on January 3, to continue academic work till March 5 next year.
“Management urges all students yet to do their self-placement to do so as quickly as practicable,” a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations of the GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, said.
The statement further explained that the GES was working with the current calendar as part of efforts to revert to the pre-COVID academic calendar.
“We appreciate all stakeholders for collaborating and supporting the CSSPS process to this point.
We continue to ask for your patience to ensure the academic calendar for SHS is implemented without hitches in order to get back to the pre-COVID academic calendar,” it added.
Last Thursday, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, also directed the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, to appear before the House today to brief it on the reopening date and other matters.
Parliament’s call followed a statement by the MP for Akatsi North and a Ranking Member on Education, Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, on the apparent rush to allow the children to go to school today.
The MPs, all from the minority side, expressed concern about the challenges parents would have to go through between last Thursday and yesterday to get their children ready for school today.
The MPs said it was incomprehensible for schools placement to be released just last Tuesday only to rush students to report today.
The MPs said they had received calls from their constituents for support and also effect changes in their placement.
The MP for North Tongu and a former Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, was emphatic that he had received calls from teachers expressing fatigue and asked that some time be given them to rest.
