The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has inaugurated a GH¢6.4 million staff development institute for the Ghana Education Service (GES) at Saltpond in the Central Region to ensure the continuous professional training of teachers.
The facility, the Ghana Education Staff Development Institute, began at an initial cost of GH¢ 3 million in 2011 but increased to GH¢ 6.4 million due to delays in completing the project.
The project, funded by the GETFund, has two conference rooms, 90 rooms, a cafeteria and ironing room.
The Vice President said the government's commitment to the development and improvement of education was evident in its welfare policies to ensure teachers were prepared and equipped to execute their mandate efficiently.
He said the four days in a year allocation for the professional training of each teacher and two hours a week for peer review to get teachers equipped to be abreast of the changing trends in education were all efforts to ensure quality educational outcomes.
He reiterated that education remained the key to the nation's development, adding that the government's commitment to the Free SHS programme and others would be evident in the nation's development in the next decade.
Continuous professional training
Dr Bawumia emphasised that there could not be quality education delivery without properly equipped teachers, stressing that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government would provide resources for the continuous professional training of teachers.
He said the doubling of the capitation grant, decentralisation of scholarship, the absorption of the fees of the West Africa School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) were all indicators of the government's commitment to quality education delivery.
The Vice-President added that efforts to provide free internet for senior high schools (SHSs) to tertiary institutions were all to promote quality education.
Digitalisation
Dr Bawumia said the government would also work to digitalise education information to ensure all Ghanaians in school had access to quality education. Earlier at Enyan Abaasa he said the next NPP government would establish one model SHS school for zongos in every region.
That, he indicated, was to ensure that efforts to promote education access for all was achieved and that no one was left behind.
The Omanhen of the Enyan Abaasa Traditional Area, Osagyefo Kwame Akonu X, commended the government for the many interventions for the communities and appealed for improved roads in the area.
The Deputy Minister of Education, Mrs Gifty Twum Ampofo, said the government would continue to work to promote the well-being of teachers.
The Acting President of the Nkusukum Traditional Council, Nana Kwesi Brebo III, commended the government for the work done to better the lives of Ghanaians.
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