Parliament urges Education Minister to reschedule reopening date for SHS 1 students

Parliament has called on the Minister of Education, Mr Yaw Osei Adutwum, to reconsider the December 4, 2023, reopening date for first year Senior High School (SHS) students as directed by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

A statement issued by the Director, Media Relations Department of the Parliamentary Service, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said this had become necessary after the attention of the House was drawn to the directive by the GES for first year students to go to school on Monday, December 4.

It said due to the short notice with its attendant inconvenience to students, parents, teaching and non-teaching staff, the House proposed the first week of January, 2024, as a more convenient and appropriate time for reopening for academic work to begin.

‘In view of the urgency of this matter and various concerns raised by Members of Parliament and other stakeholders, Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has directed the Minister of Education to appear before the House and brief Members on Monday, 4
th December, at 1430 hours,’ the statement said.

It recalled that, on 9th November, the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) released the provisional results for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for School and Private Candidates, 2023.

Subsequently, on 28th November, the GES informed the Heads of Institutions to begin registration and orientation of students from 4th December.

‘The House is therefore calling on students, parents, teachers, and non-teaching staff not to panic but to remain calm and wait for further directive on the matter whiles it engages with the Minister for an amicable resolution.’