Akro SHS staff trained in effective teaching
The Institute for Teacher Education and Continuing Professional Development (ITECPD), University of Education Winneba (UEW), has organised an orientation course for the staff of the Akro Senior High Technical School at Odumase Krobo in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region.
The workshop, held at the King Palace Hotel at Kpong, was to equip the teaching staff to improve their teaching methods and skills to be responsive to the needs of contemporary senior/ technical school students.
Leading role
Opening the workshop, the Director of ITECPD, Prof. Dandy George Dampson, who was represented by the Head of the Counselling Unit, Psychology Department of the UEW, Dr Peter Eshun, said the University of Education Winneba, was expected to play a leading role in the country’s drive to produce scholars whose knowledge would be responsive to the realities and exigencies of the sub-region.
He urged the staff to take active part in the workshop which was in their own interest by asking the relevant questions for clarification where necessary for the success of the programme.
Inclusive education
Inclusive Education at the Senior High School (SHS) level, Guidance and Counselling for Academic Development, and Information Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching at the senior high school were the main topics handled by three resource persons.
One of the resource persons from the university, Dr Adams Awini, in his presentation, noted that in order for society to understand the concept of inclusive education, one needed to reflect on the history of how persons with disability (PWDs) were treated socially and particularly in education.
He stressed the need for teachers at all levels and the SHS, in particular, to accept and educate all learners in the schools irrespective of differences such as academic, physical, religious, ethnic, politics, ability or disability.
Wrong courses
For her part, Dr Patricia Amos, who handled the Guidance and Counselling topic, noted with concern that a lot of students in the SHSs did not perform well because of wrong courses either chosen by themselves or imposed on them by the school authorities or parents and guardians.
She said school guidance and counselling coordinators should always do consultations, referrals, follow-ups, evaluation service, and peer counselling services to promote effective counseling services in the senior high schools.
“I want the teachers to do their work by orienting the students on the academic life in consultation with their parents and other agencies to improve academic work of the students who have special issues,” Dr Amos said.
Mindset
Dr Joseph Appianing, the third resource person, said power supply, lack of financial support from the government, strong internet connectivity, in addition to the mindset of people on ICT were the major barriers in the teaching and learning of the subject.
The Headmaster of the Akro Senior High Technical School, Mr Charles Ossom Bah, assured the staff that managing schools these days was difficult, but his administration would continue to organise such workshops for the staff from time to time in order to build their capacities for effective teaching and learning.