By Jones Anlimah
The Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) in the Volta Region has called for urgent government action to address critical issues affecting public basic education. Speaking at a press conference in Ho, Mr. Stephen Vincent Gordor, Volta Regional Chair of COHBS, outlined several challenges undermining teaching, learning, and school administration in the region.
“We owe it to our teachers, students, and the future of this nation to speak up when things are not going well. The issues we raise today are not just our challenges as administrators; they are threats to the quality of education we provide to our children,” Mr. Gordor stated.
Mr. Gordor identified the delayed and insufficient payment of capitation grants as a major setback, stressing that the situation is crippling day-to-day school operations. “The persistent delay and inadequacy of these funds have left many schools struggling to function effectively. We urge the government to ensure timely and adequate disbursement of capitation grants,” he said.
He also decried the acute shortage of furniture, which has left many pupils learning under harsh conditions. “It is disheartening to see students sitting on bare floors or broken desks. This situation is unacceptable, and we appeal to the government, corporate organizations, and philanthropists to come to our aid,” Mr. Gordor emphasized.
Additionally, COHBS expressed frustration over the persistent shortage of textbooks for the standards-based curriculum and the Common Core Programme. Mr. Gordor highlighted that, despite several years since the introduction of the curriculum, many students still lack textbooks, especially Basic 9 students, who have none at all. “This is a major setback to learning outcomes. We demand that the Ministry of Education and GES urgently provide the needed textbooks to support teaching and learning,” he urged.
Rising cases of indiscipline in schools, including hooliganism, bullying, and vandalism, were also highlighted as a major concern. COHBS called for stronger disciplinary measures, parental involvement, and the establishment of guidance and counseling units to help curtail the situation. “Indiscipline is gradually becoming a national canker. If not checked, this trend will have dire consequences for our society,” Mr. Gordor warned.
On education policy, COHBS called for a review of the Free SHS policy, proposing a minimum entry aggregate of 36 for Senior High School admission. According to Mr. Gordor, the current system allows students with poor grades to progress, weakening academic standards. “A cut-off point will encourage seriousness among JHS students and promote meritocracy,” he stated.
COHBS also lamented the high utility bills burdening basic schools and appealed to the government to absorb or subsidize them to ease the strain on school administration.
The group further criticized the poor implementation of the National Standardized Test (NST), citing last-minute planning, delayed payments to supervisors, and the failure to share results with schools. “The NST is a key assessment tool, but its implementation has been haphazard. Supervisors are unpaid, and schools receive no results to guide learning improvements,” Mr. Gordor remarked.
In addition, COHBS condemned the delayed release of BECE results by WAEC, which they said prevents schools from analyzing performance trends and implementing corrective measures for improvement. “It is unacceptable that the 2024 BECE results have not been released when another batch of students is preparing for the next examination. WAEC must sit up,” Mr. Gordor stated.
The Conference of Heads of Basic Schools also highlighted several unresolved issues affecting teacher morale. Mr. Gordor revealed that nearly one-third of headteachers have been denied responsibility allowances for years and demanded payment by March 2025, alongside a call for the allowance to be made a non-taxable item on their payslips. “We demand that all arrears be paid by the end of March 2025. Our responsibility allowance should be a standalone, non-taxable item,” he insisted.
According to Mr. Gordor, some teachers promoted to deputy director ranks have waited up to five years for salary adjustments. To address this, COHBS suggested introducing Deputy Director I and Deputy Director II ranks to resolve pay discrepancies. Mr. Gordor highlighted that headteachers, who use personal vehicles for official duties, should be paid maintenance allowances. “Headteachers receive no government-supplied vehicles, yet we cover transportation costs from our pockets. This must change,” he demanded.
While appealing for immediate intervention to resolve the challenges and uplift the standard of education in the Volta Region, Mr. Stephen Vincent Gordor stressed the importance of education in the country’s quest for complete development. “Education is the backbone of national development. If we do not address these challenges now, the future of our children will be at risk. We call on the government, stakeholders, and all well-meaning Ghanaians to support our efforts to improve the quality of basic education in the Volta Region,” Mr. Gordor concluded.
