JHS students will wear new uniforms from the 2019/20/20 academic year

Some GHG officials are presenting samples of the new uniforms that will be introduced in the next academic year. Image: NII MARTEY M. BOTCHWAY

Starting in the 2019/20/20 academic year, all junior high school students will need to use the newly introduced uniform..

the new uniform for girls is a khaki skirt with a striped shirt, while that of the boys is a khaki shorts with a striped shirt.

Characteristics of school uniforms

The features of the new uniforms are Ghana's flag, certificate, graduation cap and books.

The Ghana flag is printed on the chest pocket of the jersey, a sign of patriotism and sense of belonging, while a certificate, describing the transition from primary to secondary level, is printed on the right and left . top and bottom of the shirt.

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A graduation cap, which symbolizes intelligence and superiority, is also printed both at the top left and right of the shirt, while a book representing knowledge and empowerment is printed both at the top and bottom left and right.

Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), said at the press conference in Accra yesterday that the new uniforms were part of the education reforms launched by the government. .

Cost of the uniform

Asked about the financial implications of the new uniforms, he replied that, as was the case for the current school uniforms, for which parents bore the costs, the same would apply to the new school uniform.

"For uniforms, what happens is that, as we all know, it is the parents who buy them, from KG to JHS, not the government. However, we have disadvantaged areas where the government has decided to buy them uniforms. So on the years we are buying for these areas and this has been going on for two years now. As far as we are concerned, it has not changed, "he said.

Educational reforms

Presenting the context of the introduction of the new school uniform, he stated that the Minister of the Sector, Mr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, had presented, during consultations, a note to Cabinet, "which has been duly accepted for us change the uniform of the junior high school. " academic year".

"The idea is that they start seeing themselves as high school students. They are in lower secondary school, "he said, citing international standards as justification.

He explained that in other parts of the world, from the first cycle of secondary school, the student was directly transferred to upper secondary education. "But in our case, the structure is such that they are part of the primary school and so they tend to consider themselves as primary. Students ".

"The idea is to let them think of themselves psychologically as high school students, which is also part of the new reforms that are coming up in terms of the content of their curriculum, which will be upgraded to to reach the normal level of a secondary program. school system, "said Professor Opoku-Amankwa.

Fees for examination / printing

With regard to examination / printing fees in primary schools, he said that management had participated in consultations with key stakeholders, including school heads, through the Conference of Directors of Education. elementary schools (COHBS) and the Conference of Directors of Education (CODE) to consider various options.

One of the proposed options was "that a portion of the per capita grant be used to pay for the printing of examinations and / or the provision of printing materials in all district education offices in the country to allow the printing of exam questions ". and other printing needs of schools and offices without direct financial commitment to a pupil or parent. "

"The GES leadership wants to badure all principals, teachers, parents, students, students that during the next exam session, all these problems will be addressed, and that some teachers will have been seen writing. exam questions on the board and sometimes on the floor and the ceilings would have been solved, "said Professor Opoku-Amankwa.

He reiterated the commitment of the management to apply the policy of free and compulsory basic education, in accordance with the 1992 Constitution.

Budgetary provisions

With regard to the financial resources devoted to education, he said that for the first time in its history, credits and credits had been allocated to the circuits to improve the supervision of schools in order to improve the results of their education. learning.

"Each circuit in 2018 received 2,500 GH ¢ per year. For the current year, it is expected that each circuit will receive $ 4,200, "he said.

Administrative subsidies

"Once again, in 2016, the administrative grant to regional offices was 1,000 GH ¢ per year per regional office. This figure rose to 40 000 GH ¢ in 2017, to 50 000 GH ¢ in 2018 and for the years to come. year each regional office should receive 100,000 GH ¢.

"For the District Administrative Grant, it was previously GHG 1,000 per district per year. This figure rose to 6,000 GH ¢ in 2017, to 20,000 GH ¢ in 2018 and for the current year, it is estimated that each district will receive 32,000 GH ¢, "said Professor Opoku-Amankwa.