Concerned teachers and parents in the Anloga Municipal District have petitioned President John Mahama, calling for urgent intervention to address alleged and proven administrative malpractice, bullying, and mismanagement in basic schools across the district.
The petition, signed by over 10 teachers and parents, accuses the district director of violating established educational procedures and the Teachers’ Code of Conduct (Revised June 2017).
The signees claim that these actions are undermining teaching standards, learner performance, and staff morale, with potentially long-lasting consequences for the quality of basic education in the area.
Key Allegations
The petition outlines several areas of concern, including:
- The District Director assuming responsibility for setting end-of-term examinations, a professional duty ordinarily reserved for teachers.
- Mismanagement of examination charges and quotas, with significant sums reportedly diverted to the Director and contracted service providers. Figures cited include GH¢16,000, GH¢15,000, GH¢12,000, GH¢10,000, and GH¢9,000 per term per school.
- Engagement of external service providers to create non-standard examination questions, allegedly prioritising personal or financial interests over learners’ academic welfare.
- Intimidation of headteachers and teachers who question these practices, including punitive transfers and salary embargoes.
- Selective and allegedly unlawful transfers, resulting in severe understaffing; some schools reportedly operate with as few as five to eleven teachers across all grades.
- Learners unable to pay full examination fees being prevented from sitting terminal exams, causing emotional distress.
The petition also highlights a growing trend of teachers seeking voluntary transfers to senior high and vocational institutions to escape alleged intimidation, weakening the foundation-level education system.
In some cases, headteachers have reportedly employed SHS leavers to teach, with parents being asked to contribute toward their salaries.
Impact on Learners and Teachers
According to the petitioners, the consequences for learners have been dire:
- Reports indicate that approximately 97% of learners have failed terminal examinations over the past nine to ten years.
- High-performing students reportedly see their results reduced to average performance due to misalignment between classroom instruction and examination content.
- Learners’ motivation and study habits are negatively affected, with little follow-up from the Directorate to assess and support academic progress.
Teachers, particularly experienced ones, are reportedly demoralised and disengaged from the examination-setting process, while newly posted teachers struggle to develop competence in this area.
Headteachers face punitive transfers if they fail to remit expected examination quotas, and minimal financial recognition is reportedly provided for marking and reporting duties.
Directorate’s Justification and Response
During a teachers’ durbar, the Directorate justified its actions by claiming some teachers fail to apply Bloom’s Taxonomy when setting exam questions and asserting the authority to set exams, similar to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
The petitioners counter that professional development workshops and strengthened Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) could address concerns over exam standards and that WAEC operates under a clear statutory framework, unlike the current District intervention.
Demands and Requests
The petitioners are demanding:
- An immediate, independent, and impartial investigation into the District Director’s actions.
- Accountability measures where wrongdoing is confirmed.
- Justice and, where applicable, restitution for affected learners and teachers.
- Protection for whistle-blowers and staff vulnerable to victimization.
- Strict enforcement of the Teachers’ Code of Conduct and educational regulations.
They also request immediate intervention to restore transparency, fairness, and accountability in the district’s basic education system.
Copies of the petition have been sent to the Minister for Education, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, the Attorney-General, and leaders of teachers’ unions, including GNAT, NAGRAT, and CCT.
The signees expressed confidence that the President’s office will act decisively to safeguard the integrity of education in the Anloga District.
