KEY POINTS
- The free SHS policy aims to make secondary education accessible for all.
- STEM and TVET initiatives prepare students for future job markets.
- Digital and inclusive reforms are bridging gaps in Ghana’s education system.
Ghana has long been a leader in education across Africa, but the country continues to strive for excellence through innovative reforms aimed at improving accessibility, quality, and relevance.
However, these educational reforms promise to shape the nation’s future workforce and boost socio-economic development. Here are the top five to watch.
Free senior high school policy
The Free Senior High School (SHS) policy that was launched Ghana in 2017 has been a key sentiment changer in education.
For this reason, the intervention intends to remove the monetary expenses that students inevitably have to enroll and succeed in secondary education for all students. While the policy has led to increased enrollment, ongoing reforms are focused on addressing challenges such as overcrowded classrooms and teacher shortages.
This program remains underway with plans to enhance the structures and teaching aids, so as to enhance effectiveness and access to secondary education.
STEM education promotion
In Ghana, greater emphasis is being placed on a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education.
The government has been investing in STEM-focused schools and equipping classrooms with modern laboratories to prepare students for the demands of a globalized and tech-driven economy.
Moreover, the creation of STEM innovation centers and programs for the professional development of teachers are some of the other strategies in the process of increasing Ghana’s competitiveness in technology, engineering, and other fields.
TVET transformation
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) is being overhauled to address Ghana’s skills gap and unemployment issues.
The government has begun the process of revolutionizing its TVET to make them respond to labor market demands thus graduating competent people for the job market.
Additionally, more resources have been applied to bringing learning infrastructures up to date, to introduce information technologies into the classrooms, and to foster affiliations with business organizations for training attachments. TVET is ready to become one of the pillars of Ghana’s workforce development plan.
Digital learning initiatives
Consequently, digital education has emerged prominently active in Ghana, particularly after the COVID-19 break.
The government is providing students as well as teachers with e-learning, platforms, including distributing devices such as tablets and laptops.
Other reforms in this area are: provision of internet connectivity in the rural areas, incorporation of ICT in learning. It is designed to close the digital gap among students and allow all the learners to leverage the use of modern learning technologies.
Inclusive education policies
Ghana is on track to compliance of education for all in meeting the needs of student’s disabilities.
Efforts are being made to ensure that schools remain open to disabled people, to emerge teachers in special education, and to produce learning material in braille and sign language.
These reforms are in harmony with global goals of ‘no child left behind’ and quest to provide quality education to all Ghanaians irrespective the status of the child.
In addition, measures adopted in education sector in Ghana are in line with the vision for the development of the nation and the future manpower. From free SHS to STEM and TVET advancements, these initiatives are setting the stage for transformative growth in education.
