Ghana’s educational curricula completely archaic, needs to be reviewed – IEA

The Institute of Economic Affairs has called on the various stakeholders concerned with education in the country to review the country’s curriculum and make the necessary changes to suit the current trends.

In a statement released by the IEA following a three-day retreat to review Ghana’s educational system, the institute identified a number of loopholes in the educational system which are increasingly affecting the quality of education in the country.

Among other things, IEA pointed to the fact that “the current mode of assessment of pupils at the basic level does not take into consideration the specific competencies of individual pupils, with student assessment at the secondary school merely serving the purpose of university placement”.

It also made mention of the fact that Ghana’s current educational curriculum is not inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of both students and the nation as a whole”. “The curriculum is incoherent, fragmented and overloaded, It is also heavily skewed towards grammar-based training to the neglect of skills training, particularly technical and vocational training”, it said.

The institute recommended therefore that government focuses on creating a strong link between academia and industry. It also noted that there is a need for a complete review of the education curriculum to reflect the needs of the 21st century.

The three-day event which was held in Anomabo in the Central Region saw over 30 youth from various groups across all sectors of the Ghanaian society participate. The meeting which was dubbed, “Reforming Ghana’s Educational System” came off on Sunday, September 15, 2017.

Below is a copy of the entire statement: