New Inspector General of Schools embarks on familiarisation tour

The newly appointed leadership of the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) has embarked on a familiarization and stakeholder engagement tour in selected regions to deepen collaboration with key stakeholders in Ghana's private education sector.

Led by the Inspector General of Schools (IGS), Prof. Salifu Tahiru Azeko, PhD, the tour took place in the Ashanti, Bono, Bono East, and Northern Regions respectively. 

The purpose of the tour was to introduce the new management of NaSIA, strengthen relationships with private school associations, and reiterate NaSIA’s commitment to improving education standards across the country.

The engagements brought together representatives from key private pre-tertiary educational bodies such as the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), the Conference of Heads of Private Second-Cycle Schools (CHOPSS), and the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS). The interactions provided a platform to share ideas, discuss sector challenges, and explore opportunities for enhanced collaboration.

During the engagements, Prof. Azeko, Salifu Tahiru emphasized the importance of private schools in Ghana’s education landscape and called for strengthened partnerships to ensure compliance with established standards and regulatory requirements. He reiterated NaSIA’s dedication to supporting private institutions in achieving excellence through regular school inspections and capacity development initiatives.

Regional Directors of NaSIA in the respective regions delivered a presentation outlining the Authority’s mandate and core functions. The presentations served to realign and reaffirm NaSIA’s commitment to fulfilling its objects which are to develop, publish, promote and enforce the highest quality standards and guidelines for quality education in public and private pre-tertiary schools.

During the tour, private school stakeholders shared key concerns affecting their operations. Among the major issues raised is the unfair placement of learners into senior high schools under the Free SHS policy. According to these stakeholders the current system gives priority to learners from public schools in the placement of learners into category A senior high schools, a measure which has impacted on private school operations negatively over the years.  Additional concerns included the high cost of regulatory fees, and the limited access to training and capacity-building opportunities as compared to the public schools. In response, NaSIA’s leadership acknowledged these challenges and reaffirmed its commitment to continuous engagement to mitigate the challenges. The Authority also pledged to advocate for policy reforms and liaise with appropriate agencies to provide targeted support to help private schools meet regulatory standards.

The associations welcomed NaSIA’s responsiveness and proposed the institutionalization of regular stakeholder forums to foster continuous engagement and partnership.

NaSIA reaffirmed its dedication to listening to stakeholders and incorporating their feedback into future policies and interventions aimed at enhancing educational quality across the country.