Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, calls for the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to craft effective strategies for enhancing the quality of basic education in Ghana.
Highlighting that previous educational reforms, including those of 1974, 1986, and 1987, and the Free and Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) policy, fell short of expectations, Bagbin advocates a significant shift in approach. Charles Dondieu, Chief of Administration at the Speaker’s Office, conveyed these sentiments during Bagbin’s speech at the 30th annual Conference of Directors of Education (CODE) in Wa, Upper West Region.
Themed “Resourcing Basic Education in Ghana for Quality Education Delivery,” the conference serves as a platform for education directors to deliberate on pivotal issues to fortify the execution of educational policies and initiatives.
Addressing the issue of unemployment, Bagbin pointed out the country’s trend of churning out unskilled graduates ill-prepared for the workforce. He emphasized the necessity of revisiting the school curriculum to ensure learners receive pertinent tutelage, preparing them for the job market and contributing to national progress.
Furthermore, Bagbin underscored the government’s duty to foster the requisite infrastructure and atmosphere for efficacious teaching and learning, particularly in fundamental education. He urged for an augmentation in the fiscal allotment to the educational sector to tackle prevailing obstacles and ameliorate learning results, praising the event organizers for their selection of the region for this pivotal conference. In a gesture of support, he donated GH¢10,000 to the cause.
The event also included a celebration of CODE’s 30th anniversary, established in 1993, marked by a ceremonial cake-cutting.
In his remarks, Prof. Mohammed Hadi Bolaji, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Integrated Development Studies at SD Dombo University, pinpointed political interference as a perennial detriment to the educational sector. He criticized the recurrent neglect of projects initiated by preceding administrations and the exclusion of teachers from critical sector decision-making processes.
According to a report by Graphic Online, Prof. Bolaji highlighted the urgent need for rehabilitation in over 5,000 basic schools and noted that more than 2,000 schools operate under trees, factors contributing significantly to the declining standards in basic education.
Upper West Regional Minister, Hafiz Bin Salih, voiced his dismay at the notable absence of key figures such as the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Dr. Eric Nkansah. Emphasizing the criticality of basic education as a cornerstone for higher academic pursuits, he insisted on a greater focus on this sector and expressed gratitude toward the organizers for choosing his region as the conference venue.
