News Guide Africa

Tag: Ministry of Education

  • Private SHS leadership demands end to “Suffocating” payment delays

    Private SHS leadership demands end to “Suffocating” payment delays

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

    The leadership of private Senior High Schools (SHSs) has issued a stern appeal to the government, demanding a complete overhaul of the disbursement process for the Free SHS student allowances.

    At a press briefing held on Sunday, Prof. Richard Asiedu, a prominent representative of the private SHS sector, warned that the current administrative bottlenecks are threatening the operational stability of participating institutions.

    A Call for Timely Action

    Prof. Asiedu highlighted that while the Free SHS policy remains a cornerstone of national development, the chronic delay in releasing funds has placed an “unbearable” burden on school administrators.

    “We are calling on the government to ensure that student allowances are released in a timely manner,” Prof. Asiedu stated. “The current lag between the commencement of the term and the receipt of funds is simply unsustainable for private partners who rely on this liquidity to manage daily operations.”

    Cutting the Red Tape

    Beyond the timing of the payments, the representative took aim at the complex procedural hurdles required to access the funds. He argued that the current system is mired in excessive paperwork and redundant verification steps that serve no purpose other than to stall progress.

    “It is time to reduce the bureaucracy of payment processing,” he urged. “We need a streamlined, transparent digital framework that allows for rapid disbursement. Our focus should be on educating the next generation, not navigating a labyrinth of administrative red tape just to keep our doors open.”

    Key Concerns Raised:

    ● Operational Strain: Private schools lack the deep reserves of state-run institutions to buffer against long payment gaps.

    ● Resource Allocation: Delays impact the procurement of teaching materials and the fulfillment of utility obligations.

    ● Process Efficiency: A plea for the Ministry of Education to modernize the auditing and transfer systems.

    The Ministry of Education has yet to issue an official response to the latest demands. However, sources within the Ministry suggest that a review of the disbursement portal is currently underway to address the concerns of private stakeholders.

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Controversy over SMC University’s accreditation: NPP man Jinapor bullies Educ. Minister and GTEC Board Chair

    Controversy over SMC University’s accreditation: NPP man Jinapor bullies Educ. Minister and GTEC Board Chair

    A heated debate has emerged between the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and the Alumni of SMC University, with allegations of bullying and procedural irregularities.

     

    According to sources, the Alumni of SMC University has petitioned the GTEC board, questioning the decision to invalidate the certification of the university’s graduates. The petition alleges that the decision was made without the board’s approval, contravening Section 14 of the GTEC Act.

    At best is a person decision by Prof. Jinapor which questions the basis of action . It is even criminal for prof. Jinapor to willfully manipulate the truth and be on the media every week to destroy Ghanaians who earned their qualifications legitimately.

     

    However, the Director-General of GTEC, Professor Ahmed A. Jinapor (a known sympathiser of the NPP) who is kept at his post is accused of playing tricks with the GTEC board in resolving a problem he knowingly created by falsely misleading the registration of SMC University to mean is not accredited.

    Sources claim that Prof. Jinapor has been using his position to smear the reputation of SMC University graduates, despite the university’s registration to operate in Ghana.

     

    The situation is further complicated by allegations of a personal vendetta against a prominent SMC graduate, who is a vocal critic of the government’s galamsey policies. The graduate’s activities are said to have displeased a key government official, leading to Prof. Jinapor’s alleged actions.

     

    The GTEC Director-General has refused to comment on the matter the Union of Technical Universities Teachers met him recently and at the recent board meeting citing an ongoing court case but does the opposite.

    Meanwhile, Prof. Joshua Alabi has provided evidence of due diligence in the registration process, which Prof. Jinapor has allegedly ignored.

     

    The controversy has sparked outrage, with calls for transparency and accountability from the government and GTEC .

    Prof. Jinapor who has been reported by a number of citizens to the Ministry of Education has claimed on a Tv3’s hot issue program on Sunday that he has not seen these letters granting registration to SMC . This is not smart on his part, the statement says as there many of the communication between NAB/ GTEC and the School as well as other institutions in Ghana.

     

    Excerpts of the Statement:

     

    The last board meeting

     

    A statement wrote by Broenye Tami Volete and sighted by this portal alleged that “At the last Board meeting, when the matter came up, people in the corridors of GTEC report that the DG refused to talk claiming that one of the graduates have filed a suit at the human right court so since the matter is in court he will not comment. But on the blind side of the board, Prof. Jinapor has decided to grant an extensive smear attack on holders of such degree without the input from his victims on TV3 and carried by many media outlets. It does seem the board chair is being bullied by Prof. Jinapor.”

     

    Registration and Accreditation

     

    The statement further sought to clarify that, “Under the National Accreditation Board Act, the predecessor of GTEC, foreign universities are not required to be accredited in Ghana. They are required to be registered. So, on July 2012, the board after its 87th Meeting held on June 28-29, 2012, granted institutional registration of 3years to SMC University which took effect from September 2012 and directed that 6 months to expiry SMC should apply for re-registration.

     

    “On July 29, 2016 The board again, at the 104th meeting held on June 23-24, 2016, communicated the approval of the grant of a 3year Institutional Re-registration to SMC University effective August 1, 2015, to July 31, 2018, to cover students already admitted by the University.

     

    “Contrary, Prof. Jinapor is creating the false impression that SMC is not accredited that the school was merely granted recognition.

     

    “The question is, since there is nothing like mere recognition in NAB and GTEC Act where did they get that phrase from and what is the purpose.? Registration is to allow the school to operate. The board, the Minister of Education have forgotten their oath to the people of Ghana, so Prof. Jinapor is intentionally destroying people, and they are looking on.”

  • Free Sanitary Pad: Haruna Iddrisu corrects price miscalculation by Old Tafo MP

    Free Sanitary Pad: Haruna Iddrisu corrects price miscalculation by Old Tafo MP

    The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has clashed with Old Tafo MP Vincent Ekow Assafuah over the cost of sanitary pads under the government’s Free Sanitary Pad Distribution Programme.

     

    Assafuah had accused the government of overspending, citing budget figures that suggested each pack costs around GH¢45, far above the market price of GH¢15-25.

     

    However, Iddrisu dismissed Assafuah’s claims, stating that the government is actually procuring over 12 million sanitary pads, not 6.6 million as claimed. He accused Assafuah of doing “chop bar arithmetics” and presenting false information.

     

    The government allocated GH¢292 million for the programme, aiming to support over 2 million schoolgirls in basic and senior high schools. The initiative aims to improve menstrual hygiene, reduce absenteeism and promote girls’ education.

  • Gov’t pays GH₵994 per student to private schools under Free SHS – Min. of Education

    Gov’t pays GH₵994 per student to private schools under Free SHS – Min. of Education

    The Ministry of Education has pledged to pay GH₵994 per student annually to support private schools participating in this year’s Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.

    The commitment was announced during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry and the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools, formalising the inclusion of selected private SHSs in the Free SHS policy.

    Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu explained that the support, which is expected to benefit about 25,000 students, forms part of the government’s efforts to eliminate the double-track system in public schools.

    “The government is committed to providing a stipend to support the transition of that category of students moving into private schools—that’s negotiable, we’ll still discuss as and when,” he said.

    “But for a start, that’s the commitment we make to the Ghana National Council of Private Schools for this pilot inclusion of selected private schools in the provision of Free Senior High School education, as part of the government’s effort to end double track.”

    President of the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools, I.K. Mensah, commended the government for the initiative and clarified the terms of the pilot programme.

    “And the caveat is that, for now, during this pilot system, he’s going to place only day schools to us by the payment of 994 Cedis for a child in private second-cycle schools,” he explained.

    He further noted that parents who wish to have their wards as boarders can make up the difference between the government’s payment and the school’s boarding fees.

    “Now, what is happening is that we know some private schools have different payments, different plans, and different payments for boarders and all that. So, if you are placed as a day student and you think your child comes from far and wants to access boarding facilities at that school, then you sit with the school and pay the difference between what the school is charging,” he said.

    “For example, if it’s 2,000, it means the government has already paid or is going to pay 994 for that child who has come there. It’s up to you, the parent and the school, to pay the difference of, let’s say, 1,060 Cedi so that the child becomes a full-time boarding student.

    So, what the government is giving us now is for day students, and they are to pay, or the government is going to pay, 994 Cedi for this pilot program.”

     

  • Private SHS placement comes with no extra fees – GES DG

    Private SHS placement comes with no extra fees – GES DG

    The Ghana Education Service (GES) has emphasised that students placed in the 70 selected private Senior High Schools and Technical Vocational Institutes will bear no extra fees or dues for the three years of their schooling.

    Professor Ernest Davis, Director-General of GES, explains that the selected private schools benefit from the free-SHS capitation grant which covers all the teacher, teaching and learning materials related costs of all students as well the school feeding.

    For the first time under the free-SHS scheme, 70 private second cycle institutions have been selected to receive students at no extra cost to the students. This falls in line with the NDC manifesto promise made by the current President John Mahama. The initiative will help absorb the burden on the overstretched public second cycle institutions while expanding access to quality secondary education for more students.

    The initiative is a pilot phase in collaboration with the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) as the Ministry of Education, GES, and GNACOPS are expected to coordinate capacity-building, training, and infrastructure support for the selected schools.

    “Students placed in the private schools do not need to pay any fees. All of them have been captured under the capitation grant including their feeding. So parents whose wards are eligible for self-placement can consider the private schools”, Prof Davis said while answering a question during a press briefing in Accra.

    The Ministry of Education last week announced the release of the 2025 school placements for candidates who sat for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

    Out of 603,328 students who wrote the exams, 590,309 qualified for placement into Senior High Schools (SHSs), Senior High Technical Schools (SHTSs), and Technical and Vocational Institutions (TVIs).

    According to the Ministry, 483,800 candidates, representing 82 percent, have been automatically placed, while 107,509 candidates will have to use the self-placement portal.

    Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Apaak explained that the high demand for top-tier schools meant some candidates could not be matched with their preferred choices. He encouraged affected students to use the self-placement system, which is now active.

    This year, the Ministry is piloting 70 private schools under the Free SHS Programme. Initially, only 21 were included during school selection, but all 70 are now accessible on the placement portal.

    In total, the placement exercise covers 724 public SHSs/SHTSs, 233 TVIs, and 70 private SHSs. Resolution centres have also been set up at district, regional, and national levels, with the GNAT Hall in Accra serving as the national centre.

    The Ministry reminded parents and guardians that placement is free and cautioned against making payments to individuals in exchange for placement.

    By Adnan Adams Mohammed

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Ghana to draw lessons from Japan in STEM education – Dr. Apaak

    Ghana to draw lessons from Japan in STEM education – Dr. Apaak

    Deputy Education Minister, Dr. Clement Apaak, says Ghana will seek to emulate the commendable strides Japan has made in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education.

    Dr. Apaak, who received the Kumon Group delegation on behalf of the Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, noted that the government has a robust agenda to reform Ghana’s education system by making STEM a key pillar.

    The Kumon Group was led by the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Hiroshi Yoshimoto, to the Ministry in Accra.
    He told Ambassador Hiroshi Yoshimoto that, as part of the ongoing reforms, the Ministry was set to introduce STEM at the basic education level.

    “We have a lot to learn from Japan in terms of best practices, particularly in the areas of STEM. Our government and this Ministry have made it a central component of the reforms currently underway. The Minister wants to introduce STEM at the lower levels and is working to incorporate it at the Upper Primary level. The study of Mathematics has always been a challenge.

    “And so, if we are to make progress, Mathematics, STEM, and of course, TVET, are non-negotiable. Given your background in all of these areas, we are happy that you are willing to partner with us for the collective good of both the Japanese and Ghanaian people,” he stated.

    Dr. Apaak expressed his satisfaction that Ghana could collaborate with Japan to realize the objective of making STEM a major aspect of basic education.

    The Japanese Kumon Group also pledged their collaboration with the government to boost STEM education in Ghana.

    Japan’s Ambassador to Ghana, Hiroshi Yoshimoto, expressed his country’s commitment to intensifying the study of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in Ghanaian schools.

    The Ambassador emphasized the vital role STEM plays in national development. He noted that STEM education must be made interesting in order to spark enthusiasm among Ghanaian students.

    The Kumon Group delegation included: Kentaro Miyoshi (Deputy General Manager, Corporate Strategy Promotion Headquarters/License Business Promotion Department, Kumon Institute of Education)

    Mariko Suzuki (Deputy Manager, License Business Promotion Department, Kumon Institute of Education), Masaki Tsuda (Team Leader, Global Digital Business Team, License Business Promotion Department, Kumon Institute of Education), Joseph Quarshie (Sozo Global Ministry).

  • 2025 SHS Placement: Ministry of Education announces timelines as it assures improved process

    2025 SHS Placement: Ministry of Education announces timelines as it assures improved process

    Following the release of the 2025 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) results, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service have announced key timelines towards the 2025 Senior High Schools placement through the Computerised School Selection and Placement Secretariat (CSSPS). At a press briefing on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, the Director-General of Ghana Education Service Professor Ernest Davies, assured parents and qualified BECE candidates of fair and stress-free process in this year’s process. Empasising that, the process is going to be ‘strictly merit-based’ ensuring every student has the opportunity to pursue their educational goals without discrimination. He reiterated the fact that “the 2025 Placement will be determined by a candidate’s aggregate score from six subjects: the four core subjects (English, Mathematics, Integrated Science, and Social Studies) and the two best elective subjects. In the event of a tie, the system will use raw scores for a final ranking”. On the issue of “zero tolerance for Fraud”, Professor Davies, on behalf of the sector minister, Haruna Iddrisu emphasized that the 2025 placement exercise is strictly merit-based, and no payment is required for placement. ” The public is urged to be vigilant and report any individuals attempting to extort money under the guise of Ministry officials, GES, TVETs, CSSPS, or FSHS. All fraudulent activity should be reported immediately to security agencies”, he added. Regarding the roadmap and the Choice confirmation process to ensure accuracy, the secretariat has launched a choice confirmation process from August 27 to September 1, 2025. This process, he said, will allow candidates to verify their selections and correct any errors in their gender, school, or program choices, and “Candidates can confirm their choices on the official portal: www.cssps.gov.gh. An explainer video will also be made available to guide students and guardians through this process.”

    The full roadmap for the placement exercise is as follows:

    * August 23, 2025: BECE Results released

    * August 27 – September 1, 2025: Text confirmation of choices

    * September 15, 2025: Placement results published online

    * September 16, 2025: Call centers and resolution centers activated

    * October 18-20, 2025: First-year student reopening
    The Ministry is said to be ready for the placement process and asked candidates and the public to remain calm, “We are committed to making this a smooth and successful transition for all”. rileyjadeadams podcast