Here are excerpts of the proposed new Basic Schools Education Bill under consideration
EXCERPTS OF SECTIONS AND SUBSECTIONS OF THE BASIC SCHOOL EDUCATION BILL (2019) SIGNED BY HON. DR. MATTHEW OPOKU PREMPEH (MP), MINISTER FOR EDUCATION DATED 19TH FEBRUARY, 2019.
The following drafted Basic School sections and subsections extracted from the Pre-tertiary Education Bill has been already signed by the Minister for Education, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh. It is yet to be passed by Parliament and assented to by the President of the Republic of Ghana, NANA ADDO DANKWA AKUFO-ADDO.
?District Assemblies would be responsible for all Basic Schools in Ghana.
37.
1) A District Assembly shall ensure efficient, relevant and quality
education in basic schools through basic and functional literacy education to meet the needs of the population in its area of authority.
(2) A District Assembly shall
(a) oversee the implementation of a decentralized basic school
system throughout the District;
(b) construct, equip and maintain public basic schools in the
District;
(c) establish public basic schools on the recommendation of
the District Officer in Charge of Education at the District
Assembly; and
(d) ensure the performance of any other functions as prescribed
by the Minister.
(3) The education responsibility of a District Assembly shall be carried out in accordance with the Education Strategic Plan.
District Education Section
38.
1) Each District Assembly shall establish a District Education
Section.
(2) The District Education Section shall form part of the Department of Education, Youth and Sports of the District Assembly.
(3) The District Education Section is responsible for :
(a) the efficient delivery of education in basic schools to meet the needs of the areas within the district and in accordance with the educational policy and directives determined by
the Minister;
(b) the provision of school libraries in the District;
(c) the provision and management of basic schools’ education
management information systems in the District;
(d) the preparation, administration and control of budgetary
allocations as determined by the District Assembly;
(e) the facilitation of the work of a School Management Committee within the area of authority of the District Assembly; and
(f) the oversight of the circuit supervisors and the monitoring of their activities.
4) The District Education Section shall submit quarterly reports to the District assembly
(5) The budget of the District Education Section of the Department of Education, Youth and Sports shall form part of the composite budget of a District Assembly.
(6) The basic school education delivery and management processes administered by a District Assembly shall be in accordance with guidelines issued by the regulatory bodies.
(7) The teaching programmes and academic standards for basic schools are subject to the requirements established by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and other regulatory bodies.
?Human resource management of the Head and staff of the Education Section
39.
1) The Head of the Local Government Service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education and Education Service shall
(a) appoint the Head and staff of the District Education Section;
(b) be responsible for the promotion, transfer, discipline and dismissal of the staff of the District Education Section; and
(c) be responsible for other human resource management matters concerned with the District Education Section.
(2) The qualifications, standards and other criteria for the appointment of the Head and staff of the District Education Section shall be determined by the Education Service.
?Human resource management of head and staff of basic schools
40.
1) The District Officer in charge of Education at the Department of Education, Youth and Sports on behalf of the Head of the Local Government Service and acting on the recommendation of the Head of the District Education Section, is responsible for the appointment, promotion, discipline and dismissal of the head teachers and staff of
basic schools in the District
(2) The qualifications, standards and other criteria for the appointment of the head teacher and staff of a basic school shall be published and periodically reviewed by the Education Service.
(3) The District Officer in charge of the Education Section at the Department of Education, Youth and Sports may only transfer a head teacher or staff of a basic school where the transfer is to another school within the same district.
(4) Inter-District transfer of a head teacher or staff of a basic school may only be undertaken by the Head of the Local Government Service.
?Medical examination of school children
41.
A District Assembly through its Department of Health shall cause
to be undertaken
(a) the health screening of school children before admission;
and
(b) the regular medical examination of school children.
?District Education Oversight Team
42.
1) A District Assembly shall establish a District Education
Oversight Team referred to as the Oversight Team that shall report to the Social Services Sub-Committee of the Executive Committee of a District Assembly in the performance of its functions.
(2) The Oversight Team consists of
(a) the District Coordinating Director as the chairperson,
(b) the chairperson of the Social Services Sub-Committee of
the Executive Committee of a District Assembly;
(c) the District Officer in Charge of Education at the
Department of Education, Youth and Sports;
(d) the District Director of Health;
(e) one representative of the Conference of Head Teachers of
basic schools in the District;
(f) one representative of the traditional authorities in the
District;
(g) one representative of the Parent Teacher Association of
Schools in the District, on rotational basis;
(h) one representative of the Faith Based Organisations in the
District on a rotational basis; and
(i) one distinguished female educationist resident in the
District.
?Functions of the District Education Oversight Team
43.
The functions of the District Education Oversight Team are to
(a) advise the District Chief Executive on the physical,human and material resources for effective delivery of education in basic schools at the District level;
(b) oversee the implementation of the decentralised education system at the District and Sub-district level;
(c) advise on the discipline of teaching and non-teaching staff at the district and sub-district levels in accordance with approved policies and guidelines;
(d) advise the District Chief Executive on any other matters for the effective delivery of the decentralised education system as determined by the District Assembly; and
(e) to bring to the attention of the Social Services Sub- Committee of the Executive Committee of the District Assembly reports on persons not attending a course of instruction in the district.
?School Management Committee
44.
1) Each District Assembly shall establish a School Management
Committee for each basic school in the District.
(2) The School Management Committee shall strengthen community participation and mobilisation for education delivery.
?Composition of School Management Committee
45.
The basic School Management Committee consists of
a) a chairperson appointed by the District Officer in charge of Education at the Department of Education, Youth and Sports, in consultation with the District Oversight Team;
b) the Head teacher of the School;
c) one representative of the Unit Committee within whose unit the school is located;
d) one representative of the traditional authorities within the area in which the School is located;
e) one representative of the teaching staff of the basic school;
f) two representatives of the Parent Teacher Association of the basic school one of whom is a woman; and
g) in the case of a basic school established by a religious body there shall be two representatives of the religious bodies
(2) Members of the School Management Committee shall be appointed by the District Officer in charge of Education at the Department of Education, Youth and Sports.
(3) The School Management Committee may co-opt a member for a specific assignment.
?Tenure of office of members of the School Management Committee
46.
A member of a School Management Committee other than the ex-officio member, shall hold office for four years and is eligible for re-appointment but a member shall not be appointed for more than two terms.
?Meetings of the School Management Committee
47.
1) The school management committee shall meet for the conduct
of business at least twice each academic term.
(2) The chairperson shall at the request in writing of not less than one-third of the membership of the School Management Committee, convene a special meeting of the School Management Committee.
?Functions of the School Management Committee
48.
A School Management Committee of a basic school shall
(a) exercise oversight responsibility over the Head teacher of the school;
(b) advise the District Education Section on the appointment, transfer and discipline of teaching and non-teaching staff of the basic school;
(c) advise the District Education Oversight Team on
(i) the supply of text books and other teaching and
learning materials for the school;
(ii) the condition of school buildings and other infrastructural facilities of the school;
(iii) the management and maintenance of the Education Management Information System at the District
level;
(iv) the provision of teachers and the regular and punctual attendance of teachers and pupils at the
school;
(v) the proper performance of functions by the staff of the school;
(vi) the moral and professional behaviour of the staff
and pupils of the school and matters related to general discipline; and
(vii) any other matter for the effective and efficient management of the school;
(d) monitor the activities of the Circuit Supervisors;
(e) generate funds for the School;
(f) establish procedures for the management and process for
complaints related to teachers, non-teaching staff, learning
materials and complaints from teachers;
(g) ensure the protection of the school, school lands and other
facilities of the school; and
(h) monitor and compile reports on the number of persons not attending a course of instruction within the areas where their schools are located and to deal in the first instance with parents of such persons.
?Miscellaneous Matters on the Decentralised Service
Status and conditions of service of the decentralised service
49.
1) Staff of the decentralized service that include teachers in basic schools are members of the Education Service employed by the Local Government Service to work for the Ministry responsible for Education, the Education Service and a Regional Coordinating Council or a District
Assembly as appropriate.
(2) The conditions of service of the staff of the Education Service employed by the Local Government Service shall not be worse than the conditions of service of staff of the Education Service working in analogous grades.
Transfer of assets
50.
The Head of the Local Government Service in consultation with
the Ministry responsible for Education and the Board shall determine which assets and liabilities of the Education Service at the district level are to be transferred to a District Assembly on a District-by-District basis.
