Lecturer calls for refresher courses for teachers

Mr John Gatsi, a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, has called for refresher courses for mathematics and science teachers in the Ketu-North District in order to upgrade the standards in schools.

He also called for the provision of science laboratories in the schools in the district.

Mr Gatsi, Founder of John Gatsi Educational Foundation was giving an overview of the performance of students in an examination organized by the Foundation to test standards, and prepare students for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West Africa Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE) students respectively in the district.

The examination with an excellence award scheme was to help improve teaching and learning in the district.

Mr Gatsi said the performance of the students were generally below standard as had been the case since 2010 when the examination was instituted.

A total of 205 students made up of the five best students from each of the 41 Basic Schools and 10 students from each of the four senior High Schools took part in the examination, the third since its inception in 2010.

The 2012 examination focused on Mathematics, Integrated Science and English language which were found to pose challenges to the students.

He said only Master Mawuena Kaledzi of the Dzodze-Penyi Senior High School passed in all the three subjects.

Mr Gatsi said at the Basic School level some of the candidates excelled in one out of the three subjects but performed poorly in the two other subjects.

Mr Gatsi outlined common errors which emerged and recommended that serious attention be given to correcting those errors.

Miss Laurender Makafui Ahiakpor, a Lecturer at the Central University College, called for stakeholder meetings to explore ways to get youths in the district to see education as a source of their future livelihood.

She commended the John Gatsi Foundation for the initiative and asked everyone to come on board to put the agenda to a successful end.

Master Raymond Aboetakah of Mawuli School Complex at Dzodze, who came first at the Basic Level and two other students at the Senior High School Level, received certificates and book awards for their performance.

Master Aboetakah and Master Kaledzi were given GH¢ 200.00 to support their education.

Some individuals also pledged to sponsor various categories of awards in the future.

Source: GNA