Education expert Dr. Peter Partey-Anti has made a strong plea to the Minister of Education in a thorough assessment covering the years 2017 to 2023, asking for a concentrated effort to resolve persistent issues and discrepancies in Ghana’s educational policies and initiatives.
Outlined in his proposal for the final year of the government, Dr. Partey-Anti emphasizes the critical need to consolidate achievements, ensure policy coherence, and tackle remaining challenges to optimize the efficacy of educational initiatives.
While acknowledging commendable efforts in upgrading teacher training institutions, implementing licensure policies, and enhancing professional development, Dr. Partey-Anti points out persistent issues such as infrastructural challenges in colleges of education and the discrepancy between restricting entry into these colleges while advocating for improved tertiary enrollment.
“Content-wise, curricula were updated at various education levels by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) to meet 21st-century dynamics, with a new assessment framework emphasizing the practical application of knowledge,” he stated.
The expert highlights the successful introduction of initiatives like Free SHS and Free TVET but sheds light on the practical challenges faced by parents, who, contrary to official narratives, still contribute financially for basic amenities, revealing a gap in the sustainable funding of such policies.
Dr. Partey-Anti flags significant concerns regarding the delayed disbursement and inadequacy of funds in the student loan scheme, illustrating the impact on students’ financial well-being.
He also critiques the poorly executed implementation of diagnostic tests and the non-functional Wi-Fi systems in educational institutions meant to integrate technology into learning.
The lack of timely publication of the annual Education Sector Performance Report (ESPR) since 2020, according to Dr. Partey-Anti, is a notable shortcoming, as it hampers an accurate assessment of the sector’s performance.
“These challenges undermine the sector’s progress. Therefore, as we enter the final year of this administration, I urge the Minister of Education to address these issues, tighten loose ends, and ensure the effectiveness of the education sector’s policies and programs.” he shared.
The educational expert underscores that addressing these challenges is imperative to safeguard the sector’s progress and fully realize the intended outcomes of bolstering the country’s human capital.
“Although substantial efforts have been made to align subsystems, it is crucial to address these issues to fully realize the intended outcomes of enhancing the country’s human capital and maximizing social and private benefits from the sector’s investments,” he added.