Health screening for all children entering Kindergarten One

By Patience Gbeze, GNA

Aburi (E/R), Sept. 6, GNA - This year, with support of Government and UNICEF, all children entering Kindergarten One will be screened as part of "My First Day at School" welcoming event.

The screening will help in early detection of any child with health concerns for proper referral for diagnosis and treatment

Professor Kwesi Opoku-Amankwa, Director General, Ghana Education Service (GES), who announced this at a media briefing, said this year's "My First Day at School" would be unique and urged parents to ensure that all children at four years are sent to KG One on that day.

"We are combining the day with Right AGR Enrolment Campaign, which is going to happen in two folds – a mass media campaign and district level activation," he said.

Prof Opoku-Amankwa said they would roll out the right age enrolment campaign using television, radio commercials, jingles, billboards, fliers, banners and posters.

On district level activation, he said, 30 districts have been selected for the exercise and they include districts with high incidence of over and underage pupils in school, low enrolment and high school dropouts.

The Director General said eight out of the 30 districts would have high dignitaries participating in the exercise.

Among these dignitaries are the Minister of Education, Deputy Minister of Education (General), Director General of Education, Deputy Director Generals, First Deputy Speaker of Parliament and the Minority Leader of Parliament.

Prof Opoku-Amankwa said the district level activation would involve town hall meetings and floats, which would end at market places.

There will also be community engagement where the team members will do a house to house campaign on the right age enrolment.

On school uniform, he said, the GES intends to gradually face out the existing school uniform of the public Junior High Schools beginning 2019/2020 academic year.

He said the stakeholders and the public should note that the current school uniform for the JHS are still usable in all schools.

The new school uniform is being introduced on phased out basis and that no pupil/student should be denied access to school on grounds that that child is not using the new uniform, Prof Opoku-Amankwa said.

He said the suspension of levies in schools remains in force and that "all heads of schools are to note that pupils and students should not be levied to fund terminal examinations.

"Management will work with District Directors, Heads of Schools and teachers to ensure that terminal examinations are conducted smoothly in all schools."

On PTA operations, Prof Opoku-Amankwa said, they were not against their operations but what they wish to protect is the access of each and every student to academic work within schools without the ability or refusal of their parents to contribute to the activities of PTA.

He said Management of GES has put together a committee of experts including parents to re-examine the "role and responsibilities of parents in the provision of education at pre-tertiary level.

Prof Opoku-Amankwa said the submission of the committee would guide their decisions on Parents Associations going forward.

GNA

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