Be Careful of Private SHS In Tamale - Metro GES Dir. Cautions

Mayor of Tamale

The Tamale Metropolitan Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has cautioned parents and guardians in and outside the Northern Region to be careful of their quest to enroll their wards into mushrooming private Senior High Schools in the area.

According to Alhaji Abdul-Rahaman Saani, he could not guarantee the quality of tuition offered by most of the private SHS in the Tamale Metropolis due to their persistent refusal to register their activities with his outfit.

Speaking to Savannahnews in an interview recently, following reports of refusal by most private SHS operators in the metropolis to follow the GES guidelines governing the establishment of private schools, Alhaji Saani said he was afraid he could not vouch for their credibility and the quality of standard of academic work in these schools. “Most of these schools are relying on non-professional teachers coupled with the lack of basic learning materials and unconducive environment in which they are operating in”, he stressed.

He estimated that about forty private SHSs were currently operating in the city, but unfortunately his outfit did not even know the location of most of these schools. Some of the private SHSs in the Tamale Metropolis include Tamale Girls International Senior High School (TAGISS), Tamale Boys International Senior High School (TABOYS), Strategic Senior High School (STRASEC), ICODEHS Senior High School, City Senior High School, Fathul-Mubien SHS, Al Salaam Excellent Academy, Classical Oriental College, Ibn Abass SHS and Success College.

Others are Zion Senior High School, Tamale School of Management Studies, Royal Senior High School, GIFAM Senior High School, General Arts SHS, A-Plus SHS, Business College International, Napasheini SHS, Al-Maktoum SHS, Standard Promotion SHS, Adventist SHS, Tamaha SHS, K.C. SHS, Frontiers College, among others.

Most of the aforementioned schools in the last few weeks had been blaring out so loud on various radio stations in Tamale through advertisement, basically calling on students who could not make it at the 2012 Basic Education Certificate Examination to enroll to read courses such as General Arts, Business, Visual Arts and Home Science.   

Alhaji Saani also told this reporter that, most of the true proprietors or owners of the private SHSs in Tamale were unknown, adding that they were often represented by school heads or people who managed the schools on their behalf.

Although the GES has the mandate to close down any private SHS that flouted its regulations, it seemed officers at the Tamale Metro Education office lacked the courage to do so when probed further by this reporter. 

Alhaji Saani, said even though they (officials of the GES) were aware that most of the private SHSs were seriously flouting the regulations guiding their operations with impunity, they simply could not take any action because they were afraid the owners of the schools or communities in which the schools operated would rise up against them if they made any attempt to close them down.

The GES Director confirmed that there were certain basic requirements that were supposed to be met by any private individual or group of persons and organizations that wanted to establish a school, be it boarding or day. “You must provide library facilities/appropriate textbooks, appropriate classroom furniture, appropriate chalk/marker board, teaching syllabus/curricular, classrooms, places of convenience and at least one-third of teachers must be trained teachers”, he stated.

Alhaji Abdul-Rahaman Saani however hinted that most of these schools undoubtedly fall below the requisite standards or criteria set by the GES considering the physical structures that some of them were being housed and the lack of basic facilities to provide comprehensive second cycle education.

Thus, he cautioned parents and guardians to endeavour to cross-check and double cross-check again to be sure that the schools they wanted their wards to enroll in for a better future had what to provide that life providence they sought for their wards. Adding, “You need to know whether the school is a recognized institution with the requisite learning materials and teachers for academic work before seeking admission for your child or paying any money.” 

The Tamale Metropolitan Director of the GES also charged parents to make it a point to follow their wards to the schools they applied for when they are reporting so that they could be sure of their security and safety.