Educationist calls for radical redesigning of school curriculum

John Emmanuel Donkoh, the Founder of Jayee University College has called for a fundamental re-thinking and radical redesigning of the country's educational curriculum to produce transformational leaders.

He said such transformational leaders needed a range of analytic and workplace skills such as problem-solving, creativity, and critical-thinking that transcended any particular discipline.

The Educationist made the call at the fifth Nkrumah-Plange-Mensah-Kane-Nelson-Sackeyfio Appreciation Lecture in Accra.

The lecture was to recognize the great personalities who have contributed to the success of the school and national development.

It was on the theme: "Delivering Quality Education for Transformational Leadership".

The lecture was organised by the Ghana National College Old Students Association.

According to him, transformational leaders should have a good grounding in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) to meet emerging world of work.

He said integrating STEM discipline in subjects such as social studies, geography and economics would enable students develop a positive mindset about science and technology.

Mr Donkoh said for education system to produce transformational leaders, teachers must be trained through pre-service and in-service education to move away from the classical chalk-and-chalk approach to the learner-centered pedagogies.

He commended government for initiating educational interventions including the free Senior High School and the School Feeding programme, which culminated in increase in school enrolment.

He said the Education Strategic Plan (2018-2030), underpinned by the Sustainable Development Goal four, was designed to make the country a "learning nation", that provided opportunities for all to acquire knowledge and skills as a long life enterprise.

"Quality education means more than passing examinations. It means the ability to communicate, collaborate, create, critique and innovate", he added.

Mr Joseph Ato Sarpong, the Headmaster of the school said the College metamorphosed from a humble beginning as a Science College to its current state, offering all various programmes like Science, °General Arts, Business, Virtual Arts, and Home Economics.

He said since its establishment, the school had produced a lot of great scholars contributing to the country's development.

Mr Sarpong said the College became the first in Cape Coast Metropolis to adopt an electronic voting system used in electing their 2019/2020 academic year prefects.

He said the College had made a number of 'As' in some subjects during the 2018 West African Secondary School Certificate Examinations and won the second and third positions of the Ghana Association of Teachers of Arts national competition in Accra.

Mr Egbert Isaac Faibille Jnr. the National President of the Association said they would continue to support the school to make academic and moral excellence the cornerstones of the College.

He said the association was committed to providing an extension to the newly built ceremonial grounds at the College and break ground for the construction of two additional washroom facilities for the girls.

He said the Ghanacoll Endowment Fund was key to the development of the College and urged the old students to contribute to fund to continue with infrastructural development.