Non-performing schools to be closed down – Education Minister

The Education Minister has called on the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) and Principals of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to improve their educational results or shut down.

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum announced this when he addressed members of the Conference of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS) and Principals of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions in Kumasi on Saturday, March 11.

He explained that a school with a consistent zero to 10 per cent pass rate should put together intervention programmes.

He said this would ensure that most of their students find opportunities for further studies rather than becoming a liability to their parents and society due to their inability to pass their exams.

He said that closing down the schools would help save the nation from the huge financial losses being incurred by the government as a result of the existence of the schools.

Dr Adutwum explained that in cases where schools are closed down, the affected students would be redistributed to other nearby schools so they could continue their education.

The meeting with CHASS, an annual event, was to share with them the current state of education in the country, discuss new development in the sector and answer questions on issues affecting them.

The meeting, which was in two batches, saw all SHS heads attending on Saturday, while Principals of TVET institutions also participated on Sunday.

He lauded the heads for their roles in transforming education in the country and pledged to continue providing the needed resources. He also urged them to work hard to ensure they attained the right results.

Dr Adutwum used the opportunity to caution the heads to desist from preventing first-year students from enrolling because some items on their prospectus have not been procured.

He indicated that “there is no way any student should be turned away from school because the parents have not been able to procure some items on the school’s prospectus, at least, let them come to the school, and the rest could be procured with some time.”

The Education Minister lamented the addition of many other unapproved items on the school’s prospectus, which in the long run, led to the bloating of the prospectus for first-year students.