Don’t camp students in makeshift facilities — Chairman, GES Council

The Chairman of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council, Mr Michael Nsowah has asked private basic schools which do not have proper dormitory facilities but are camping Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates in makeshift facilities to put a stop to the practice.

According to him, the GES would soon send its district and regional directors round to check the facilities schools use in camping candidates.

It has become a common practice for some basic schools, especially the private ones to camp their candidates ahead of the BECE to provide them tuition until the exam ends. Last month, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Foundation For Future Generations (FOGET), revealed that some schools had resorted to camping students in makeshift facilities including classrooms that had been converted into dormitories.

The NGO said its studies had shown that some of the makeshift dormitories did not meet the standard of dormitories to house students.

Mr Nsowah noted that it was unacceptable for the candidates to be housed in facilities that were not suitable for accommodation.

“If the schools do not have dormitory facilities, they should stop it immediately because it is not right to do so. Any reports of students sleeping in makeshift facilities with poor sanitation would be dealt with,” he said.

He said those who have proper facilities could go ahead and house their candidates, while those who do not have should ask their candidates to commute from their homes to school on a daily basis.

Mr Nsowah said parents should also be concerned about the places their children were camped as they prepare for the BECE.

“I know of a private school which has dormitory facilities but some parents opted to be sending their children to school in the morning and pick them up in the evening. After all, if you are going to study from morning to 5 p.m, there is no need to keep them in the school at night,” he said,

After studying from morning till evening, children need time to rest and relax, Mr Nsowah added.