No textbooks for three SSS subjects

THE Ministry of Education has still not produced textbooks for three subjects being offered at the senior secondary school, 14 years after the education reforms began.

Students offering Economics, Social Studies and Integrated Science have had to rely on textbooks produced by individual writers for the course.

The headmaster of Obiri Yeboah Secondary School, Mr Bediako Adu, drew the attention of the ministry to the anomaly at the school’s maiden Speech and Prize-Giving Day at Assin Fosu at the weekend.

It was under the theme “Challenges of the Community Secondary Schools in the New Education Reforms”.

The occasion was also used to officially rename the institution which was formerly Assin Fosu Secondary School, as Obiri Yeboah Senior Secondary School after the Omanhene of Assin Affutuakwa Traditional Area, Nana Okomani Obiri Yeboah II.

Mr Adu stated that the non-availability of the textbooks has been one of the major factors for the poor performance in the newly established community schools because most parents cannot afford books by private authors.

He suggested that the ministry’s Curriculum Research Centre at Saltpond should be encouraged to produce the books as soon as possible to promote effective teaching and learning.

Mr Adu also expressed concern about the accommodation problem at the school, and said the authorities have acquired a 485-acre land for the construction of a ?14 billion school complex as part of a five-year development plan.

He said the complex would involve the construction of classrooms, dormitories, science laboratories, technical workshops, masters’ bungalows, an administration block, a sports stadium, and a library.

He called for support from the Ministry of Education, organisations and benevolent individuals to help make the project a reality.