Government of Ghana Introduces Completely New Educational Reform

The Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service has introduced a totally new set of reforms to the basic and high school education system of the country.

The Summary of the new reforms as released by the aforementioned authorities read;

1. Kindergarten, primary school, JHS and SHS shall all be described as a basic school. JHS 1, 2, 3 and SHS 1 shall now be referred as BS 7,8,9 and 10 respectively i. e. SHS 1 shall now be called BS 9.

2. All students in JHS 1 – SHS 1 shall run a Common Core Programme called CCP which comprises of 9 subjects; namely – Maths, Languages, Science, RME (stand-alone subject), Physical and Health Education (not examinable), Career Technology, Social Studies, Computing and Creative Art and Design.

3. A new of examination called National Standard Assessment Test (NSAT) shall be conducted at Primary 2, 4, 6 and JHS 2.

4. BECE shall be replaced by placement exams at JHS 3 to enrol students into SHS1.

5. Students in SHS1 shall continue to run the common core programme for one year thus students into SHS1 shall not select science, business or arts programmes.

6. At the end of SHS1, Students shall write Common Core Exams into SHS 2.

7. At SHS 2, students will now have to select either a career-related programme which includes, vocational and technical programmes or High School Diploma programmes such as science, business, arts.

8. This means Elective subjects shall start in SHS 2.

9. Wassce will be replaced by university entrance exams at SHS3.

10. Students after successful completion of SHS 3 will be rewarded a Diploma Certificate instead of WASSCE certificate.

Comments

1. The education system will be more of research, community engagement, projects with fewer contents.

2. Computer Literacy in one of the major focus of this programme as all educational stakeholders must be in good position to provide adequate I.T. facilities for students.

3. Science at the basic level comprises physical and applied science which involves more of demonstrative features. It is sectioned into the following:

• Diversity of matter
• Cycle
• System
• Forces and Energy
• Human and Environment

It is then necessary for all educational heads to recruit more skilled and qualified science persons to run the programme as fewer concepts in the SHS syllabus have been pushed down to prepare students for their electives in SHS 2.