Madam Victoria A. Y. Barku, the new District Director of Education for Kwahu Afram Plains North has paid a working visit to Holy Rosary School, Donkorkrom, Eastern Region of Ghana, aimed at familiarising herself with the environment and monitoring the ongoing end of term exams.
The Education Director was accompanied on the November 12, 2024 visit by Mr. Taidu Mohammed, Basic Schools Coordinator, Mr. Tangme Moses, Chief Inspector of Schools, Mr. Seth Agyenim Boateng, Public Relations Officer and Mr. Akuamoah Danso, Private Schools Coordinator, all for Kwahu Afram Plains North District.
Introducing the Missionary Sisters of the Holy Rosary owned school to the new Director, the Private Schools Coordinator said “this is Holy Rosary School, they are having a KG, a Primary School, JHS, and teachers’ bungalow, school buses” adding that they have a big farm, from which they get maize and cassava to contribute to the children’s feeding.
Madam Barku expressed joy visiting Holy Rosary school for the first time, as she said “I am happy to see these nice buildings,” adding that, for teachers’ motivation, the facility also counts. “I like the environment,” she praised.
In a discussion with the school authority, the District Director of Education sought to know among others, the qualifications of the teachers, and the performance of the children in the last Basic Education Certificate Exams (BECE).
She appreciated the school administration for the hard work and encouraged that they could consider providing boarding facilities in the future to attract more numbers, and people from outside Afram Plains.
The Director further encouraged that the Private School continues to avail of training programs and Workshops organized for teachers / Learners in the District.
Sr. Stella Nwosu, MSHR, Headmistress of Holy Rosary School expressed deep joy for the visit of the Education Director and her entourage. She said “I am just excited that you visited us in our school. Thank you for coming”.
On the question about the qualification of teachers, she admitted that the teachers recruited are Diploma holders and Senior High School graduates, for whom she organizes in-service trainings periodically, on teacher-education courses, to boost their competencies.
According to the Nigerian-born Missionary Sister, reading Ghanaian Education books have been so helpful, because it has helped her to know and understand the education system better.
“The first thing I did was to learn the lesson notes, and because I have known it, I now use it to guide them,” she confessed, adding that she appreciates the Core Competency approach, which for her is more impactful than just scoring 100% .
Celebrating that the BECE Candidates performed very well in the last exams, and have all gotten admissions into Grade A Senior High Schools in Ghana, the Headmistress, however expressed the challenge of retaining teachers in the Private Sector, which according to her is a problem that has no immediate solution, because they will always move, “You can’t cage them,” she said.
The much she can do, Sr. Nwosu added, is to assist them, as she is doing already, while they are still in the school, so that they can deliver well. She sometimes invites resource persons from the Ghana Education Service for workshops with the teachers.
Mr. Taidu Mohammed, the Basic Schools Coordinator affirmed the move the school is taking to keep her teachers abreast of educational trends, saying that “If the teachers have the knowledge, that is when they can impact it in the children, but if they are also raw, they will give raw knowledge to the children”.
As part of the visit, the District Director of Education and her entourage made a tour around the school compound and the Kindergarten Block, where though some of the kids were writing their exams, they expressed great excitement seeing visitors in their classes.
The guests also visited the school library, the computer lab and the Assembly Hall.
Generally, the Director expressed satisfaction at what she witnessed and said “It is a great opportunity. You are doing great, you are doing great! Congratulations!”
By Sr. Sylvie Lum Cho, MSHR (Sister Communicator)
