The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Donatus Atanga Akamugri, has called for a holistic overhaul and resetting of the country’s education towards national development.
He, therefore, called on stakeholders to contribute their quota to tackling the dire challenges that had undermined Ghana’s educational system.
Mr Akamugri made the call yesterday at the National Education Forum (NEF), held in Bolgatanga, the Upper East regional capital.
The event afforded opportunity for stakeholders, including, educationists, the clergy and development partners, to proffer ideas towards the development of the country’s education.
“The challenges facing our educational system require strategic priorities and a renewed sense of urgency and objectivity to address them. There is the need for consensus building on curricula reforms, infrastructure investments and other interventions to expand access and improve quality educational outcomes”, Mr Akamugri emphasised.
According to him, the theme for the programme: ‘Transforming Education for a Sustainable Future,’ aligned with the government’s resetting agenda, and underscored the need to integrate sustainability into the country’s curricula reforms and educational policies.
The North East Regional Minister, Ibrahim Tia, said the poor implementation of the Free Senior High School policy had posed a considerable challenge to the educational system of the country.
Professor Avea Nsoh of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), lamented examination malpractices in the second cycle institutions.
“The issue of exams malpractices in the second cycle institutions is very worrying. You have a lot of students who just prepare towards copying to pass.”
He alleged that “the issue is very alarming in Sunyani and other parts of the Bono, Bono-East and Ahafo regions, where students only pay huge sums of money and go into the exams halls to cheat in the final of West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations.”’
Prof. Nsoh also claimed that “Headmasters or Headmistresses and teachers encourage the act, and we are doomed because criminals and mediocre people are going to manage the affairs of the country in the not-distant future.”
Prof. Smile Gavua Dzisi, Committee member for NEF and leader of the Upper East and North-East regions team, indicated that the educational dialogue would enable the Ministry of Education and government to make informed decision on restructuring and making strenuous efforts to salvage the woes of education in the country.
Catholic Bishop for the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Diocese, Alfred Agyenta, urged religious leaders to support the government in revamping the country’s education.
FROM FRANCIS DABRE
