Ghana’s education system is weak but competitive – Spio-Garbrah
Former Minister for Education, Ekow Spio-Garbrah says that despite the education sector’s inadequate resources, the country’s education system is still among the most competitive in Africa and developing countries.
Speaking at the presentation of the Ghana Directory of Scholarships and Financial Assistance to the Ghana Library Authority (GhLA), he said the central government had realised the weakness hence the need for some review.
“…and so, I am hoping that if there will be a true review of the programmes, such individuals will be contacted because, at the end of the day, it will work for everybody,” the former Education Minister told stakeholders at the event.
In a related development, the Director of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools, Mr Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah has proposed the government adopt multiple assessment strategies in the education system for better educational outcomes.
In a post sighted by AcademicWeek, he said the current educational system centred on the acquisition of knowledge and the ability to recall information is not doing students in the country any good, hence a need to review the system.
“The traditional educational system is centered on the acquisition of knowledge and the ability to recall information. This approach fails to consider the practical application of the knowledge learned in real-world situations,” Gyetuah noted.
The multiple assessment strategies unlike the traditional assessment the Private Schools Director said will take into account the ability of prospective students to apply the knowledge they have acquired in real-life situations.
Gyetuah said performance-based, portfolio, observation, self, peer, production and creative assessments are all various assessment the Ministry of Education under the auspices of the government can consider in the education system.
Stating long term benefits of the adoption of multiple assessments strategies, the GNACOPS Director said it will enhance learning outcomes, equity and inclusion, professional development and ensure curriculum improvement.
“Implementing multiple assessment strategies in Ghana has the potential to significantly improve the quality of education and contribute to national development,” the Ghana National Council of Private Schools official said.
To successfully adopt the multiple assessment strategies in Ghanaian schools, Obengfo Gyetuah said there is a need for the Ministry of Education to redesign the assessment strategies used by the institution mandated to assess learners.
