Bolgatanga-Ghana, Oct.27, GNA- The Association of retired Heads of Conference of Assisted Secondary Schools and principals of technical institutes (CHASS/APTI) in the Upper East Region have been inaugurated.
They will among other things offer technical support to Heads of educational institutions in the Region.
The 36 member Association comprises 18 retired Headmasters from the Bolgatanga Municipality, 10 from Kassena Nankana Municipal and eight from the Bawku area.
The Association aims at providing advice and technical support to current Heads of educational institutions, creating a forum to have a common voice on educational issues in Ghana, bring retired members together to foster fraternity among themselves through regular meetings and raise funds to support themselves in times of need.
The Motto of the association is ‘Service with Experience’.
Mr. Martin Aloara, the Chairman of the Association, speaking at the inauguration said members of the association believed they still had a lot to contribute to the overall development of education in their respective communities and the nation at large and it was important they united under one umbrella to speak in one voice towards the realization of the set objectives.
Mr Aloara said retirement was just a transition from one’s active academic life to the other in the educational sector and urged other members in the sector to follow suit when they retire, to help transform education in the country.
Mr Richard Akumbas Ayabilla, the Chairman of the Upper East Regional CHASS, said the formation of the association was in the right direction, given the current circumstances of the educational sector, which needed experienced hands to help guide and support it.
Mr Issah Salifu, the Assistant Regional Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) said they were ready to offer support to the association including printing of academic materials prepared by members to support teaching and learning at a cost of 30 per cent of the prevailing price.
He said GNAT was ready to publish those materials and help market them so that they could earn an income while at home.
Mr John Akunzebe, the Regional Chairman of the National Graduate Association of Teachers (NAGRAT) urged the retired members to desist from political and religious activities that could mar the objectives of the association.
He said NAGRAT was ready to support them in many ways including helping them to organize press conferences, so that their opinions could be heard.
Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister said the doors of the Regional Coordinating Council were opened to offering assistance to the Association and urged members not to hesitate when they needed him.
