Opinions of Friday, 28 March 2014

Columnist: Oppong, Joseph

Moree SHS head stops 'blind tutor' from teaching

. Network for the welfare of the masses’ position.

We the members of this network have taking keen interest in the treatment meted out to a visually impaired teacher by the Headmaster of Moree Senior High School in Cape Coast. We hold the view that such outmoded way of leadership has long been thrown into the dust bin of history. We are however outrage to here such inhuman discrimination by no other person but an intellectual who is a head of an institution.

The behavior of Mr Kubin Yartel is inhuman and we hope the ministry of Education will take steps to sanction him. His attitude has no place in current human settings hence a call by this group to all well meaning Ghanaians to condemn it.

For the benefit of those who don’t know what this Headmaster did to warrant the wrath of this noble group;

Sebastian Jaani, who was posted to Moree Senior High school to teach English language, had a shock of his life when the headmaster resisted any attempt to have him teach in the school because of his disability. He reported the headmaster, Kubin Yartel as saying he is blind; he cannot see, cannot read or mark. On what basis was he coming to teach his students? He said even after he produced the letter from the Ghana Education Service posting him to the school, the headmaster was still adamant, insisting he was not consulted before the posting was made.

The headmaster is reported to have said he would not have a "blind person" teach his children. He was completely depressed hearing a headmaster remind him of his disability.

A graduate of the University Of Cape Coast with a ten year teaching experience, Jaani has been shuffling between the Regional Education Directorate and the Moree SHS. Sebastian Jaani is frustrated and wants the GES to take urgent action.

We also learned he has not been given accommodation and he sleeps at the school’s staff common room. We therefore call on the ministry of education to as a matter of urgency to provide him accommodation.

We also call on all groups in the country to help in this fight to protect the rights of the neglected, the discriminated and isolated in the community.

We hereby these issue a two weeks ultimatum to the headmaster of Moree SHS to withdraw his words and render an unqualified apology to Mr. Jaani or face a massive public outrage.

Thank You.

Signed by

Joseph Oppong.

Leader: Network For The Welfare Of The Masses