The review of the country's education system will emphasise quality and expansion of access at all levels, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, Minister of Education said on Wednesday.
He was addressing the Volta Region Education Forum, organised by the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council (VRCC) to plan strategies for improving the standard of education in the region.
Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition, a non-governmental organisation sponsored the forum on the theme, "The quality of formal education in the Volta Region."
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said the review was necessary to assess the weaknesses and gains of the reform programme, to rebuild a system that would produce reliable manpower to solve developmental problems scientifically.
He said it would lay emphasis on the development of technical and vocational education, which had hitherto failed to receive the focus and resources needed to play their proper roles in qualitative manpower development.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi said the polytechnics would receive attention in the form of expansion, resource provision and manpower improvement.
He said the government would create the atmosphere for a thorough public debate on the review to reflect a national consensus capable of standing the test of time.
The implementation of the outcome of the review would entail considerable financial responsibilities for government, parents, the private sector, non-governmental organisations and communities, the minister said and urged community leaders to initiate programmes that would motivate teachers.
Speaking on " mobilising resources for basic education," the Principal of Ho Polytechnic, Dr. George Mawusi Afeti urged the people to change their mentality that government should provide them at all cost.
Mr. Alfred Kofi Appiah, Programme Manager of the Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition pledged his organisation's commitment to setting up a secretariat at the RCC to implement the recommendations of the forum.
He said the Coalition would also create a forum for renowned educationists in the region to brainstorm regularly on ways of ensuring high standards.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr. Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa, urged the participants to appreciate the seriousness of the situation and come out with practical recommendations to rectify it.
Mr. Owusu-Yeboa said the RCC would provide the needed resources to lay a strong foundation for the forum to achieve the desired goals.
Representatives from the district assemblies, the Ghana National Association of Teachers, Teachers and Education Workers Union (TEWU), Managers of educational units, chiefs, principals of Teacher Training Colleges, religious bodies, Members of Parliament, and NGOs involved in education, attended the forum.
Topics discussed included, "the state of education delivery and performance," "framework for ensuring quality education," "mobilising resources" and "the role of teachers."
