Religious organisations asked to appoint school heads using GES procedures

The 38th annual national Conference of Managers of Educational Units (COMEU), is underway at Wa in the Upper West Region, with a call on educational units of religious organisations to follow Ghana Education Service (GES) procedures in the appointment of heads of their institutions.

The three-day conference, which was opened by Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, the Regional Minister, was held on the theme:” making partnership between the government, religious and other bodies work in the decentralization policy”.

Participants were sharing ideas and experiences with a view to resolving challenges and deliberating on the impact of state-religious organisations partnership regarding the changing educational and economic landscape.

Alhaji Sulemana noted that the relationship that existed between the Unit Managers and Directors of Education had often not been the best, particularly in respect with postings and transfers of teachers.

The Regional Minister expressed worry that only Catholic, Methodist, Islamic and Ahmadiyya education units had resident managers in the region, and appealed to other religious education units to open offices in the area.

He said that some of the Units operated from dilapidated buildings while their managers lived in private homes in deplorable conditions.

Alhaji Sulemana appealed to religious organizations to build more school infrastructure, and called on religious leaders to pray for free and peaceful polls in December.

Very Reverend Stephen Asher, National President of COMEU, noted that the country’s decentralization programme did not seem to have a place for educational units.

He said the religious bodies gave the type of education some parents wanted for their children.

Mr. Iddrisu Mahama, Acting Upper West Regional Director of Education, advised religious organisation to study how the GES operate, before asking for their schools to be absorbed by the government.

Source: GNA