Three year SHS course to begin 2010

Accra, Aug 25 - Beginning 2010, Senior High School (SHS) curricula would run for three years instead of the current four years, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning said on Tuesday. "The government has accepted the proposal of the Anamuah-Mensah Committee Report, including the proposal that the duration for senior high school education be reduced from four years to three years. "Government has therefore tasked the Ministries of Education and Finance and Economic Planning to work out the technical and administrative modalities for a smooth implementation in 2010," he said. The minister made the announcement when he presented a supplementary budget to Parliament which was also an occasion to review the performance of the economy between January and June 2009.

He said the process for the reversal of the SHS duration would begin this year with the review of relevant pieces of legislation. He said government's sound management strategies yielded positive results from the implementation of a number of policy initiatives outlined in the 2009 Budget.

Those policy initiatives included the increment of the Capitation Grant by 50 per cent from GH¢3.00 to GH¢4.50., to ease social and economic pressure on parents and enhance school enrolment. "A total amount of GH¢15.8 million has been released for the 2008/2009 Academic Year," he said.

Government has also started discussions with the local textile industry towards the implementation of the free school uniform programme for basic schools in deprived areas.

He said in fulfilment of Government's desire to support local artisans, the sewing of all uniforms would be done by local tailors and seamstresses which is expected to cost GH¢1.7 million. Dr. Duffuor said an amount of GH¢13.0 million had also been released for the Ghana School Feeding Programme to improve nutrition of children of school going age.

On health he said, GH¢1.0 million required by the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research to conduct clinical trials on anti-Malaria drugs had also been released. 25 Aug 09