Education Ministry sticks to December 4 reporting date for SHS freshers

The Ministry of Education has reaffirmed the reopening date for new Senior High School (SHS) students remains December 4, 2023, as stated in the 2023/2024 academic calendar released by the Ghana Education Service.

The reopening date applies to both single and double-track students. While there have been concerns about the short preparation period for students, the Ministry emphasized that the academic calendar was released well in advance to allow parents and students to make necessary preparations.

Kwasi Kwarteng, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, clarified, “Resumption date for students within the SHS space remains Monday, December 4, 2023. The expectation is that students report on the first day. But let me also hasten to add that, the first-year students who are unable to report on the first day will not automatically lose their slots. Students can report the following day or even the following week, as we have always witnessed.”

Despite this assertion, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, on Friday, urged the Ministry of Education to reconsider the date and proposed shifting it to the first week of January 2024. Bagbin emphasized that the short notice could pose challenges for students and authorities in terms of adequate preparations.

The Speaker stated, “The house calls on and urges the Minister of Education to reconsider the directive by the Ministry of Education to students and authorities, including teaching and non-teaching staff, to resume academic work on Monday, December 4, 2023. The house proposes for the consideration of the Ministry of Education the first week of January 2023 for the resumption of academic work in these schools. The Minister of Education is directed thereafter to report to brief the house on Monday, December 4.”

SOURCE: citinewsroom.com