Sack Adutwum, he has failed – TEIN to Akufo-Addo

The Tertiary Educational Institutions Network (TEIN), a student wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called for the dismissal of the Minister of Education Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.

In the view of TEIN, Dr. Adutwum has demonstrated over the period since his appointment that he is not fit for the job given the nature of the decisions he has taken so far.

This comes after the Minister had given a directive given by the Minister of Education Dr. Oasei Adutwum that the academic calendar of public schools is reverted from the semester system to the trimester system.

The dates implied that all basic schools would run a semester system, a decision that came as a surprise to major teacher unions.

Therefore, on the eve of the reopening of schools across the country, the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), the Coalition of Concerned Teachers, Ghana (CCT-GH), and the Teachers and Educational Workers Union (TEWU) forming the Unions in Education kicked against the move citing no knowledge about the decision.

“Such a major policy change should have attracted a wide consultation and therefore find both the pronouncement and the document offensive and takes exception to them,” they had said.

On Friday, January 21, a statement issued by the Ministry of Education and signed by Press Secretary Felix Baidoo said: “After further consultation on the issue, the Honorable Minister for Education has directed that the calendar for kindergarten to Junior High School for the current academic year should revert to the Trimester system.”

As a result, the first term will run for 12 weeks from Tuesday, January 18 to Thursday, April 14.

There will be about three weeks of vacation ahead of the second term, which begins from Tuesday, May 10 till Thursday, August 18.

The final term will run from Tuesday, September 13 to Thursday, December 22.

The GES on Thursday, January 13 announced new dates for the reopening of public schools from kindergarten to senior high schools.

But a statement issued and signed by Deputy Coordinator of TEIN, Mr. Ekow Djan on Monday, January 24 said “Every well-meaning Ghanaian today agrees that Ghana’s education sector is in deep crisis. This is a minister who lacks vision, his decisions are shaky and not backed by research, bad at policy formulation, struggles to implement policies which are both teacher-centered and student-centered, lacks effective managerial skills, etc,”

Below is the full statement

AKUFO-ADDO SHOULD GET RID OF ADUTWUM AS EDUCATION MINISTER

The Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has proven to be the worst minister for the education sector since 1992.

It does appear, Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh who performed abysmally as Education minister is far better than Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.

The current minister, Dr. Adutwum has demonstrated time without number is not fit for the job.

Every well-meaning Ghanaian today agrees that Ghana’s education sector is in deep crisis.

This is a minister who lacks vision, his decisions are shaky and not backed by research, is bad at policy formulation, struggles to implement policies that are both teacher-centered and student-centered, lacks effective managerial skills, etc.

1. Under Adutwum as Minister, three education unions—UTAG, CETAG, TEWU— are currently on strike over poorer conditions of service.

2. Teachers in pre-tertiary schools are lamenting over poor salary conditions and undue deductions from their salaries.

3. Non-payment of allowances like responsibility allowances to pre-tertiary teachers.

4. Trainee teachers have not been paid their allowances for six(6) solid months.

5. Students in the universities are struggling to find accommodation.

6. Textbooks have not been supplied to basic school pupils since 2019.

7. The academic calendar has become problematic.

8. CHASS is lamenting over the non-release of funds for Senior High Schools.

9. Uncleared backlog of 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 trained teachers.

10. Growing indiscipline in our schools
Etc.

Without mincing words, Dr. Adutwum is not fit for the job as education minister, and the earlier he is fired by President Akufo-Addo, the better.

A ham-fisted Education Minister should not be given any audience again.