Volta Region: The Volta Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has issued a stern directive to all teachers at both Basic and Second-cycle institutions to strictly adhere to the Learner Plan Policy. This follows increasing reports of non-original, downloaded, or scripted lesson plans being submitted without teacher input.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Francis Yao Agbemadi, Volta Regional Director of Education, expressed grave concern over the growing trend in a letter, describing it as a clear breach of professional standards and service regulations. Mr. Agbemadi emphasized that all teachers, whether professional or non-professional, at the Basic or Second cycle level, are required to personally develop and submit original learner plans in accordance with GES Directives. This mandate aims to uphold pedagogical relevance, instructional quality, and professional accountability in Ghanaian classrooms.
He issued this directive in reference to an earlier directive from the National office of the Ghana Education Service dated January 17, 2024. The Ghana Education Service requires facilitators and teachers to infuse modern-day technology into their classroom teaching under strict service conditions as stipulated in their earlier directive.
Teachers are required to develop original learner plans specifically tailored to their students' unique needs. These plans may be handwritten or typed and submitted either in soft or hard copy, depending on the arrangement with the school head teachers. While Artificial Intelligence tools may assist with planning, they must not replace the teacher's personal input. All content must strictly follow the Ghana Education Service (GES) formats and reflect actual classroom situations. Although collaboration and joint planning among teachers are permitted, each submitted plan must be unique to the individual teacher.
The Service also called on the teachers to take into consideration the core values of the new Standards-Based Curriculum. All learner plans must be aligned with the GES Standards-Based Curriculum, incorporating clear objectives, specified competencies, structured activities, relevant resources, appropriate assessment methods, and reflective elements. The use of pre-scripted, copied, or online-sourced plans without meaningful input from the teacher is strictly prohibited and considered professional misconduct. To ensure adherence to these guidelines, school heads and supervisors are tasked with enforcing the directive through regular monitoring, review, and feedback.
Teachers in need of support are encouraged to consult their Heads of Department, School Improvement Support Officers (SISOS), or District Training Teams. The letter further called on all teachers to fully comply with the directive to achieve the aim of maintaining professional standards and improving learning outcomes.
The Volta Region hosts about 20 percent of Basic schools in the country, with more than 90 second-cycle institutions, including both general and technical institutions.