CONFERENCE OF BRONG AHAFO DISTRICT DIRECTORS OF EDUCATION OPENS AT BECHEM IN THE TANO SOUTH DISTRICT

A three day Conference of District Directors of Education in the Brong Ahafo Region has been opened at Bechem the District Capital of the Tano South District. The conference which brought together all the District Directors of Education in the Brong Ahafo Region sought to review performances and introduce new measures which could raise the standard of education since performances are not the best in the region.

The secretary of the Directors Conference Mr. Hayford Osei Kwadwo outlining the purpose of the conference said since Directors of education are leaders of education delivery there was the need for them to regularly discuss issues confronting them and to learn from the good practices that they see from other districts. He said issues such as quality education delivery, discipline and professionalism in education are some of the basic issues that the conference would discuss.

Opening the conference, the Tano South District Chief Executive, Hon. Zakari Bukari Anaba said it is his conviction that the school viewed as a social unit, guided the organizers to choose the theme for the occasion which is “Effective Leadership for Quality Education”. He said many different theories of leadership have been put forward however many writers have classified leadership into styles as radical, conservative and scientific.

He said whatever leadership theory or style participants find themselves in and believe, Quality Education cannot be compromised and it is in this vain that the President of the Republic of Ghana has pledged to enhance the quality of education in the region and Ghana as a whole by honouring his promises in the 2008 NDC manifesto, in providing free exercise books, free school uniforms to needy and deprived schools and eliminating schools under trees.

Hon Zakari said, Educational Directors leadership is important in Educational Management and Administration because of the overarching effects on the accomplishment of schools objectives, policies, programmes and plans and it is these objectives that he would urge them to have other programmes such as School Performance Appraisal Meeting (SPAM) strengthened.

In a welcome address, the District Director of Education for Tano South District which happened to be the Host District Mrs. Mary Gyimah welcomed all present and commended the directors for choosing the Tano South District as the venue for the conference. She said the district could boast of numerous educational institutions and said the district have 32 public Junior High Schools, 54 public primary schools, 6 private Junior High School, 13 Private Primary Schools, 3 Senior High Schools, a College of Education, Women’s Training Institution, a Business School and a Technical school for the Deaf.

Ms Gyimah hinted that Tano South was first in the region in the 2009 BECE and third in the whole country and lauded the efforts of the Omanhene, the Member of Parliament for the Constituency, the Tano South District Assembly and the few NGO’s in the District for their immerse contribution towards education in the District. She said though the 2010 BECE results are not yet out she hoped Tano South would be well placed.

The function which was chaired by Nana Fosu Gyeabour Akoto II Omanhene of Bechem Traditional Area saw other dignitaries such as the Member of Parliament for Tano South Constituency Hon Andrew Agyei Yeboah, the Principal of St Joseph College of Education and Nana Jinpiti-Gyan chairman of the District Directors Conference speaking at the function whilst solidarity messages were received from Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) and the Brong Ahafo Conference of Regional Managers of Educational Units.