Assert authority against external influence- Heads of SHSs charged
The President of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Eric Angel Carbonu, has called on heads of second-cycle institutions to assert themselves as managers and not subject themselves to any external interference.
He said managing a school in the 21st century was not an enticing duty, as society had substantial expectations from heads of school, yet denied them the needed resources to achieve their objectives.
“Today, society is dictating to us how to manage our schools, and the level of interference and micromanagement heads of school encounter these days, it is as if we do not have the brains to manage our own affairs.
“Let them know that managing a school is not about sitting on the radio and talking about things they do not know. Let them know that their profession is not better than yours,” he said.
Mr Carbonu was speaking at the inauguration of the Association of Retired Heads of Government Assisted Secondary Schools – Greater Accra (ARHASS-GRA) in Accra on Nov 13.
His comments come on the back of recent public discussions about whether female senior high school students should be allowed to keep braided hair in schools.
The NAGRAT president said he was surprised that people were making a case for that.
“What more do we expect from 14 or 15-year-olds who are going to spend less than three years in school than to expect them to obey school rules, where we can prepare them for the tertiary level, where the whole world is open to them?
“If lashing a student could lead to some level of trauma, then I should be dead by now,” he said.
Inauguration
The inauguration was on the theme: “The role of retired Heads of Senior High Schools in Ghana’s educational enterprise”.
The new executives who were sworn into office are the Chairman, Samuel Ofori Adjei; the Vice-President, Joyce Osei Agyekum; Secretary, Alfred Vaeta; Vice Secretary, Ellen Asare Peprah and Financial Secretary, Veronica Aryee.
The rest are Treasurer, Felicia Asimeng-Kore, the Public Relations Officer, Kate Bannerman and the Chaplain, Rev. Lydia Anim Nketia.
Engagement
A former Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Charles Aheto Tsegah, called for the active engagement of retired heads of senior high schools (SHS) in shaping the future of education in the country, stressing that their wealth of experience could greatly enrich the educational landscape for adolescents across the country.
The CEO of Special Ice Ghana Ltd, Ernest Ofori Sarpong, who was the special guest, echoed Mr Tsegah’s sentiments, stressing that “Retirement from active service does not equate to retirement from relevance”.
