Dr John Gatsi, a lecturer of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) School of Business, has called on teachers to invest their energies to learning methodologies that will enhance their delivery of their students.

He said it was unfortunate that some teachers deride their slow learning pupils as write-offs saying the practice is wrong as it can destroy academic progress of the victims.

Dr Gatsi, who is also a financial analyst, was addressing the 25th Anniversary celebrations of Mawuli School Complex (MSC), a private basic school at Dzodze in the Ketu North District of the Volta Region.

He said the teacher can be an incentive or disincentive to learning and urged teachers to sometimes re-examine themselves and methods.

He said the state is in a crucial situation as over the years many students are not performing well in Mathematics, Science and English Language, which are the pillars in any career.

Dr Gatsi expressed the regret that many schools in the district still learn the science-based subjects without the needed tools that will make the teaching and learning of those subjects meaningful.

He said while basic school pupils in some major cities use computers for learning ICT many others across the country have none (computers).

He called for stakeholder involvement for a focused strategy against the complex challenges facing education in the area.

Average pass rate at the BECE in the area is 33 per cent -35 per cent, with some schools recording zero, suggesting 65 per cent of pupils do not proceed to Senior High School Education.

He asked educational authorities to check and discourage the engagement of teachers on subjects they were not trained in, to ensure quality delivery.

“We should all begin to see the fortunes of our country in our children, invest in them, teach them good values because they are the mind of the country”, he said.

Dr Gatsi commended the founders, management, teachers and pupils of MSC for the success chalked so far including excellent grades at examinations.

Dr Gatsi is the Founder-Director John Gatsi Educational Foundation, an entity promoting academic excellence in the Ketu North District through an annual competitive examinations and awards for pupils