The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Ministry of Education (MOE), Mr. Kwasi Kwarteng says the basic education system can adopt the semester system if it becomes necessary in future.
But for now, he said the trimester system remains unchanged.
The Ministerial Committee on School Calendar released a new calendar for the current academic year, indicating that kindergarten and JHS were to be based on the semester system.
Following the directive, the Ghana Education Service (GES) on Thursday, January 13, announced new dates for the reopening of public schools from kindergarten to JHS.
The various unions representing the interests of teachers, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT-GH), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU), kicked against the policy.
The unions found both the pronouncement and the document offensive, citing the lack of broader consultation.
The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, directed that the academic calendar for kindergarten to junior high school (JHS) be reverted to the trimester system.
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Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ekourba Gyasi Simpremu, Mr Kwasi Kwarteng said when the semester system was proposed, the Minister after deliberations with stakeholders noted that it was not going to favour the students and teachers and for that matter, directed that the trimester system is maintained.
When asked if the changes will affect the academic calendar of the students, he said ‘No’, adding that the students were even in school during their re-opening dates which was 18th, January, 2022 and so nothing really changed.
Meanwhile, he said there was no inherent advantage of the semester or the trimester system over each other considering teaching and learning.
“For education, things do change with time. There are reviews and reforms as well, if it becomes necessary to go for the semester system, why not. It will go for considerations but for now, the arrangement is that they use the trimester system,” he said.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
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