Transcript The educational reforms

The new Educational Reforms
Prof. J. Anamuah-Mensah
Problems with the old structure
• Limited provision of further education and
skills training facilities for the majority of the
products of the JSS and SSS levels;
• Inadequate provision of technical and
vocational education at the second cycle level;
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Poor literacy and numeracy skills of
pupils at the basic and second cycle
level;
Emphasis on subject knowledge
instead of intellectual competences
and skills;
Disconnection between education
especially at the tertiary level and
world of work;
• The unstructured provision of apprenticeship
training for the majority of school leavers who
have to be prepared for a life time of work
outside the formal school systems;
• The crisis of insufficient places at the tertiary
education level to meet the needs of a
modernizing economy
• Limited opportunities for post-secondary
education for the products of technical,
vocational and agricultural education;
• Difficulties in the development of the
polytechnics within the scope of higher
education,
• The vexed problem of sustainable financing of
the whole tertiary education sector.
• Poor management and supervision of
schools;
• lack of guidance and counselling
services in the schools;
• inadequate provision of infrastructural
and teaching/learning facilities;
• Inadequate number of teachers
especially in TVET, maths and science
Foundational Principles
• Incorporate moral and ethical principles into
curricula at all levels
• Emphasis on active learning rather than
passive listening by students
• Emphasis on intellectual competencies and
skills rather than subject teaching
• Development and application of minimum
standards of learning in all curriculum
• Institutionalisation of monitoring mechanisms
into the process of reform
• Focus on continuous learning
• Emphasis on equality of access to education
for all
Specific terms of Reference
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Goal and Philosophy of Education
Principles guiding Curriculum design
Pre-School/Basic Education
Secondary/Technical/Vocational Education
Teacher education, Tertiary Education
Management and financing of Education
Cross Cutting Issues
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Library
Information Services
Special Education
Guidance and Counselling
Information and communication technology
(ICT)
• Private sector participation in Education
Philosophy of Education in Ghana
to create well-balanced (intellectually,
spiritually, emotionally, and physically)
individuals with the requisite knowledge,
skills, values and aptitudes for selfactualisation and for the socio-economic and
political transformation of the nation.
Aspects of the Reforms
Main Focus of Reforms
Aimed at:
• Promoting Literacy and numeracy at basic level
• Creating a parallel structure to academic
programmes at SHS level
• Advocating a shift to Science and TVET
• Formalising Apprenticeship training
• Encouraging competency based training
• Linking with the world of work
MAIN ACTORS
• Teachers, Teachers Teachers
• Teachers, Teachers Teachers
Basic Education
Basic Education is the minimum period of
schooling needed to ensure that children
acquire basic literacy, numeracy and problem
solving skills as well as skills for creativity and
healthy living.
Basic Education Made up of…
2yr Kindergarten
should pre-dispose children to
conditions of formal schooling, inculcate in
them the desire for learning and provide
opportunities for the overall development of
children
6 yr Primary
is to consolidate the knowledge and skills
acquired at the kindergarten level, lay the
foundation for inquiry, creativity and
innovation and inculcate good citizenship in
children.
3yr JHS
provides opportunity for pupils to discover
their interests, abilities, aptitudes and other
potentials
Kindergarten (Pre- School)
Education
Objectives
• pre-dispose children to conditions of formal schooling in order to
accelerate the learning process during formal education;
• nurture children in safe and caring environments with appropriate
infrastructure, which will allow them to become healthy, alert, secure and
able to learn;
• strengthen primary education through the provision of quality pre-school
education;
• introduce children to basic hygiene and sanitation for healthy living;
• Provide opportunities for the overall personal development of children
through individual play and group activities.
• minimise gender barriers which seem to affect girls even before they enter
primary school;
• inculcate in children the desire for learning.
Structure and Content
Entry age to KH1
4yrs
Entry age to KG2
5yrs
Class size
Not exceeding 30 pupils
School hours
6 – 8 hours per day
Curriculum
Should include:
Language development
Drawing/Writing
Number work
Music, Drama and Dance
Hygiene (Health and Sanitation)
Games (including computer games)
Primary
Objectives
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consolidate the knowledge and skills acquired at the kindergarten level;
lay foundation for inquiry, creativity and innovation;
develop an understanding of how to lead a healthy life and achieve a good health
status;
develop sound moral attitudes and appreciate one’s cultural heritage and identity;
develop the ability to adapt constructively to the changing local and global
environment;
inculcate good citizenship in children to enable them to participate in national
development;
develop the skills and aptitudes for assimilating new knowledge;
prepare pupils for further education and training;
make pupils understand the environment and the need to contribute to its
sustainability.
Structure
Lower Primary
Classes
P1 – P3
AGE
6 – 8 YRS
Contact hours
6 (5 hours for teaching and 1hr for cocurricula activities)
Class size
Not exceeding 35 pupils
Upper Primary
Class
P4 – P6
Age
9 – 11 years
Contact hours
6 (5 hours for teaching and 1hr for cocurricula activities)
Class size
Not exceeding 35 pupils
Content - Lower Primary
• English Language (Reading, Writing, Comprehension,
Dictation);
• Ghanaian Language (Reading, Writing, Comprehension,
Dictation);
• Basic Mathematical Skills;
• French (Optional);
• *Introduction to ICT;
• *Creative Arts (Art and Craft, Music and Dance);
• *Physical Education;
* These subjects should be taught as practical and creative activities.
Content - Upper Primary
• English Language (Reading, Writing, Comprehension and Dictation);
• Ghanaian Language (Reading, Writing, Comprehension and
Dictation);
• Mathematics;
• Integrated Science and *Introduction to ICT;
• Religious and Moral Education;
• Citizenship Education (Civics, Social Studies, Life Skills and Hygiene);
• French;(Optional)
• *Creative Arts (Art and Craft, and Music and Dance);
• *Physical Education.
New Subjects
• Information and Communication
Technology (ICT)
• Natural science
• Creative Arts
• Citizenship Education
• French
Junior High School
Objective
• The main objective of the JSS programme is to ensure that pupils
appreciate the use of the hand as well as the mind. In addition to the
objectives set out for primary schools, the junior secondary school
curriculum should provide opportunities for pupils to acquire pretechnical, pre-vocational and basic scientific knowledge and skills
that will enable them to:
• consolidate knowledge and skills acquired at the primary level;
• discover their aptitudes and potentials;
• induce in them the desire for self-improvement;
• appreciate the use of the hand as well as the mind;
• understand the environment and the need for its sustainability so
that they may become eager to contribute to its survival
Junior High School
Some Weaknesses identified with the JSS System
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poor quality teaching by teachers who are poorly prepared to teach at this level;
lack of effective guidance and counseling system in the schools;
high pupil/teacher ratios especially in some rural and sub-urban areas;
ineffective use of contact hours;
overemphasis on the grammar (general) education to the neglect of technical and
vocational education;
inability to strengthen pupils’ basic academic skills (reading and writing) as some
junior secondary school graduates can neither read nor write;
inability of the system to predispose them to the world of work;
absence of performance standards or benchmarks to guide teaching and
learning at all levels;
poor linkage between the JSS and SSS curriculum.
Recommendations
Classes
JHS 1- 3
Age
12 – 14
Class size
Not exceeding 35 pupils
Contact hours
45 periods per week (40 minutes per period)
Curriculum content
English Language and Literature; Mathematics; Ghanaian Language
and Literature; Social Studies (should include citizenship education,
History and Geography of Ghana);
Technical Drawing; Integrated Science; Religious and Moral
Education;
French; Arabic Language (for Islamic Schools); Introduction to
TVET; Physical Education (as a physical activity with emphasis on
physical fitness, recreation and leisure); Introduction to ICT as an
activity.
Second
cycle/Technical/Vocational
Education
Objectives of Senior High Education
• to reinforce the knowledge and skills acquired during basic
education;
• to provide a diversified curriculum to cater for different
aptitudes, abilities, interest, and skills;
• to provide an opportunity for further education and training
and introduce students to a variety of relevant occupational
skills necessary for national human resource development;
• to understand the environment and the need for its
sustainability;
• to inculcate a sense of discipline and selflessness in students.
• to develop an interest for lifelong learning;
Problems with the old system
• lack of adequate teaching and learning
facilities;
• poor infrastructural facilities;
• low number of well-motivated and committed
teachers;
• absence of proper guidance and counselling
services; and
• poor management and supervision;
• inadequately prepared JHS leavers;
Recommendations
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Duration of SHS Programme
Access and participation
Quality
Staffing
Curriculum content
Infrastructural facilities
Information and Communication Technology
Proposed Implementation Strategy
In the short term;
• Government policy of having one model school
in every district should be implemented
immediately and should be completed within 5
years to offload burden on so called endowed
schools;
• The computerisation of admissions into SHS
should begin in 2003/2004 academic year;
• Every District Directorate of Education should
set-up guidance and counselling centre to start
operating by January 2003. In the short term,
interested teachers should be given in-service
training and reposted to the offices.
• GES should task UCC and UEW to train
professional guidance and counselling
personnel for the regional and district offices as
well as the schools;
• GES should organise workshops
periodically for Heads of Schools and
Heads of Departments in second cycle
schools on the mode of assessment,. This
should be expanded to cover other
teachers;
Medium Term
• Every SHS connected to electricity should be
provided with computer laboratories within 3
years.
• Government should put in place a programme to
cover the remaining schools within a period of 6
years. In the short-term government should
provide these schools with electricity generating
plants and some computers to expose students to
computer studies.
• Government should draw up a programme
over a period of 5 years to supply all
schools with adequate textbooks for all
subjects, especially English Language,
Mathematics, Social Studies and English
Literature;
Long Term
• The provision of facilities/infrastructure,
especially well-equipped Science
Laboratories/Workshops in all SHS
schools should be implemented within and
completed within a period of 15 years.
TECHNICAL/VOCATIONAL
EDUCATION
Objectives
• to give students aspiring to pursue tertiary professional
programmes, a basic understanding of
technical/vocational knowledge and skills;
• to impart job-specific, career-focused knowledge and
skills to students in
• order to produce a sizeable, well qualified workforce;
• to equip students with knowledge and skills to make
them employable or self-employed;
• to update knowledge and skills of the workforce in order
to keep them abreast with new developments.
Classification and Streams of TVET
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Secondary Technical Schools
Technical Institutes
Vocational Institutes
Agriculture Institues
Apprentice Training
Teacher Education in Ghana
Objectives
• To train the right type of teacher who is competent,
committed and dedicated such that s/he will be
capable of:
• Developing attitudes, values and dispositions that
create a conducive environment for quality
teaching and learning in schools;
• Facilitate learning and motivates learners to fully
realise their potentials; and
• Adequately prepares the learner to participate fully
in national development effort.
Weaknesses of the previous system
• Chronic prestige deprivation
• Disjuncture between theory and practice
• Disconnection between the needs of schools
and teacher preparation, depriving teacher
education of its mission
• Students admitted to the training colleges
mostly are with poor grades
• Problems with the IN-IN-OUT programme.
Educational Management
Recommendations
• Upgrading of TTCs to tertiary status
• UEW and UCC should help set guidelines for
admission into the TTC
• MOE/GES/District assemblies should support
the colleges and interns
• TTCs should involve schools in their catchment
areas in planning the OUT programme for
teacher trainees
Curriculum
• should equip teachers with competencies in
the content areas and methodologies. Areas
to be considered:
• Patriotism
• ICT
• English language
• Ghanaian language
• Mathematics and Science
Incentives for Teachers in Deprived
Areas
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Be paid 20% of basic salary
Given accelerated promotion
Be given priority for study leave with pay
Universities should reserve a quota for
teachers from deprived areas
Tertiary Education
Education offered after secondary level at a
university, polytechnic, specialised
institutions, open university and any other
institution offering training leading to the
award of diploma and degree qualifications. In
Ghana, tertiary education is provided in both
state-supported and private institutions.
Objectives
• Develop people with intellectual and
analytical mind and enable them to use the
knowledge acquired for the benefit of society;
• Equip with knowledge and skills to conduct
basic research
•Produce people capable of using research
findings for national development;
•Produce human capital for various sectors
Limitations Observed
• Limited access for the target age group;
• Limited opportunities for academic and
professional progression, especially for those
who enter the technical/vocational streams;
• Inadequate opportunity for life-long learning
Recommendations
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Create Open University
Create an Open Community College system;
Improve facilities and research;
Promote university-industry-Government
partnerships
Management Process
Resources
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Human
Material resources (raw material)
Teaching and learning materials
Infrastructure (viz. physical structure, water
supply system)
• Finance
Process
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Methodology (teaching and learning)
Motivation and incentive systems
Discipline
Supervision
Standard-setting
Inspection and monitoring of school and
academic performance
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Guidance and counselling
Admission and retention of pupils
Recruitment of teachers
Staff training
Determination of conditions and schemes of
service
Feedback
• Assessment of outcomes (quality and
quantitative)
• Monitoring the dynamics of the system
• Evaluation of the system
Financing of Education
The Human Capital Theory
• Investing in education has a very high socioeconomic return …
Major sources of funding within the Educational
sector
• Government of Ghana (GOG)
• GETFund
• Donors
CONCLUSION
This Reforms was suggested after seriously considering
the strengths and weaknesses in the previous structure
and content at the various levels of education, and also
at the management and financing of education in the
country.
Recommendations made in the report were meant to
lead Ghana into developing a vibrant educational
agenda that will meet the challenges of the rapid
technological development in the 21st century.