Teachers Banned From Using Mobile Phones In Class

By Samuel Akapule

Bolgatanga — Teachers will no longer be allowed to use their mobile phones during lesson hours, the Upper East Regional Director of Education, Ms Patricia Ayikor, has warned

According to her, the directive coming from the Ghana Education Service was as a result of the way and manner many teachers are often seen glued to social media by using their phones during contact hours.

The Regional Director of Education announced the warning in a speech read by the Bolgatanga Municipal Director of Education, Madison Amoakese, on her behalf during this year's Catholic Education Week, held in Bolgatanga on Friday.

The theme of the conference, 'Catholic Education- Opening and creating opportunities for the education' was aimed at taking stock of the past activities of Catholic Education and to see how to help improve upon the standards of education.

Ms Ayikor indicated that monitoring visits conducted by her outfit confirmed that many teachers were using lesson hours on the social media at the expense of teaching students and warned that it would not be tolerated.

She, therefore, warned such teachers to always ensure that they put off their mobile phones during lesson hours to avoid any embarrassment and sanctions.

The Regional Director commended the Catholic Church for their contributions toward education and gave the assurance that GES would continue to support them to help deliver quality education in Ghana.

"As Catholic teachers you must endeavour to carry the tabernacle of Christ and the church to the classroom to help bring about greater societal changes so as to help accelerate the development of the region and the nation as a whole," she said.

She explained that as part of measures to help improve upon the educational standards of the schools, the Guidance and Counseling Units of schools were being strengthened and indicated teachers had been selected in each of the school to take charge of that responsibility.

Mr Jesse Joseph Paine, the Chairman for the occasion, who is also a retired educationist, impressed upon teachers to be role models by ensuring that the right values of society were instilled in child upbringing.

The Chairman mentioned corruption, stealing, laziness, drug and alcoholic abuse, disrespect, lateness to work and programmes as some of the worrying trends and called on teachers to help change the trend by imbibing good values in pupils and students they teach.

Whilst lauding the efforts of Catholic teachers for working hard to complement the government's efforts in education delivery, the Regional Manager of the Catholic Education, Reverend Sister Bernardine Pemi, urged poor performing schools to work harder to change the trend.

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