The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has ended an educational leadership summit held at Bunso in the Eastern Region, to sharpen the skills and develop the knowledge levels of private school leaders.
The five-days summit which started on Tuesday August 2 and ended on Saturday August 5, highlighted and brained stormed best ways and practices that management of private schools and teachers need to adopt to enhance growth and foster collaboration among their various regulatory authorizes.
Representing the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum at the event, the Deputy Minister in charge of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (T-VET), Mrs. Gifty Twum Ampofo expressed government readiness to continue to support educational policies and programmes to improve quality eduction in Ghana.
Mrs. Ampofo called on players in the private education to adopt to ongoing reforms such as ensuring that all teachers are licensed, develop the T-VET and other reforms aimed at transforming the educational sector.
She assured the government continue support in ensuring that private education is not left out of policies and programmes aimed at improving education in the country.
Addressing participants, the Executive Director of GNACOPS, Mr. Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah revealed that the summit fostered collaboration, shared best practices, and equipped educational leaders with the necessary skills and knowledge to drive sustainable development in private education.
Mr. Gyetuah said GNACOPS believes that strong and adaptive school leadership is essential in meeting the ever-changing landscape of education and ensuring the success of students.
He said the theme of the event “Building Resilient and Innovative School Leaders for Sustainable Development,” was carefully chosen because the focus was on planned and interactive workshops that addressed various aspects of educational leadership. From private school management to curriculum development and from marketing strategies to parent-teacher collaboration.
The summit covered a wide range of topics that were relevant to the development of private education where discussions were focused on valuable insights and practical strategies that one need to experience the change required for growth.
“Let us rise to the challenges faced by our educational institutions, provides an ideal platform to do so and work together, embracing innovation and shape the future of education in Ghana and beyond,” he stated.
“And let seize this opportunity to collaborate, learn from one another, and collectively build resilient and innovative school leaders who will lead us towards a sustainable and prosperous future.”
The Executive Director and Inspector General of National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA), Dr. Haggar Hilda Ampadu assured all private school owners and management to report officials who visits their schools and end up abusing them over licensing fees.
This came to light during the summit when some private school owners shared their experience of harassment they suffer from the hands of NaSIA officers working in various districts and assemblies.
Dr. Ampadu said as a regulatory body, NaSIA is aimed at ensuring high standards and playing the inspectorate role in all basic schools to improve on quality and standards in both private and public sector.
On the matter of charging same fees on both low and high endowed private schools in the country, she said the regulatory body is currently embarking on data collection of all private schools nationwide to establish its status before making a pronouncement.
She thanked the management of GNACOPS for honoring her contribution in the educational sector and specific interest in promoting private education.
In a speech read on his behalf, the Board Chairman of GNACOPS, Mr. Steve Revss said creation of GNACOPS has brought hope to private eduction and became the deal-breaker in this previously-presumed lost cause.
Mr. Revss GNACOPS has come to stay and bridge the gab that existed between private education and governmental institutions tasked to regulate education in the country.
He used the occasion to thank all
collaborators, supporters and sponsors such as Transforming Teacher Education and Learning, National Schools Inspectorate Authority, National Teaching Ciuncil, Ghana Revenue Authority, Social Security and National Insurance Trust.
Others he mentioned are National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, Commission for Technical and Vocational Educational and Training, Ghana Enterprise Agency and many others who graced the summit with both financial support and expertise.
“As we welcome you to this very important Summit, it’s our prayer that you return fulfilled and much better than when you came in, having been empowered with modern skills and trends in educational leadership to chart the next course of education in Ghana,” he stated
He tasked participants to find time to participate in all activities like the canopy walk, health walks, horseriding etc; and also to take in the absolute beauty of nature as it presents itself at this venue.
In all over 250 private school teachers, proprietors, managers and owner attended the summit.
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