Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Cape Coast, George Oduro has bemoaned the current victimisation some head teachers face when they speak against government.
According to him, senior high schools are facing numerous challenges, particularly shortage of food. However, school authorities are refusing to speak about the situation publicly.
This, in his view, is due to the “the culture of silence” the government has gradually instituted in the educational system.
“I have tried talking to many head teachers who confide in me and when I ask them why they don’t come out and speak about their problems, they will say, ‘Prof, you want me to talk? No please, I want to retire peacefully’.
“So there is a culture of silence. People are zipping their mouths because of what we call instigation,” he said.
Professor Oduro made this observation when he contributed to a discussion on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on Monday. The topic was; ‘food shortage in SHSs.’
It has been reported that since the term started two weeks ago, it was just this weekend that food was supplied to schools.
This is not the first time food shortage in senior high schools has been in the limelight. Last year, many schools were on the verge of shutting down due to challenges with food supplies.
Students have not been in school for a month and the crisis has reared its head again. Many guardians are worried about the situation.
Meanwhile, the Spokesperson of the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng, has assured parents that over the weekend, government distributed food supplies to SHSs across the country.
He also urged school authorities to speak up about their challenges for them to be addressed.
Dispelling claims that there is a ‘culture of silence, Mr Kwarteng said “We’re not going to victimise any headmaster who comes out to speak about food shortage.”
