A former teacher at Goaso Roman Catholic Primary School, Martin Tawiah, who is currently working in China as a pre-school teacher, has suggested useful approaches to Ghana Education Service to improve teaching and learning after comparing his stint in Africa to Asia.
Tawiah, who completed Berekum College of Education with Diploma in Basic Education in 2011, worked in the Ahafo regional capital of Goaso until 2014 before he left the shores of the country for greener pastures. He was fully convinced of the myriad of opportunities to enhance his teaching skills.
Now, after seven years of active teaching in China and having first-hand experience of the teaching and learning environment of one of the best countries in Asia, he believes Ghana Education Service needs to introduce methodologies that are of international standards into its teaching environment and do away with the outmoded approach especially in public schools both in towns and villages.
Speaking exclusively to AshesGyamera.com in an interview from his Chinese base, Tawiah suggested that Ghana Education Service should ensure effective reforms in the teaching and learning skills starting from pre-school education.
By personal observations, he is of the view that Ghanaian pre-school and basic school level teachers do not employ proper approaches in teaching their learners. He explained that, the teachers’ lesson notes preparation are not enough to enhance a good and vibrant learning environment.
The former Success FM journalist also mentioned that the warm ups, introduction, greetings approach harnessed for lower level learners are inadequately designed to set the learners in the right mood for teaching and learning.
Tawiah suggested that pre-school teachers should prepare well structured lesson notes which will include sections of entertainment and active warm ups and also further availed himself to assist if the need arises to help with the use of warm up activities and songs.
“GES certainly has a bigger role to play in this with the provision of education related technology like large screen TVs or screens with projectors, with high speed connected Internet and flashcards bbased on the new curriculum adopted recently, ” he said.
“I’ve been teaching these Asian kids both at school and in their homes especially in this COVID-19 era. I’ve come to realise the approach in Ghana is quite different from here so if they need my advice and experience, I’m always available to help. This is because no matter where I go, I will return home one day so I have to help shape home.”
He concluded that: “teachers are taught the right things in colleges, as I’m a beneficiary of such rich knowledge in teaching, but they simply refuse to use what they were trained to do the right way when they are posted to education centers.
“It’s not too late to arrest this situation. GES can provide proper TLM’S for teachers to use because they are already trained and know how to use these TLMs.”
“All five senses of touch, sight, smell, hearing, taste are essential for effective teaching and learning, especially for all kinds of children” he stressed.