NaCCA launches manual for teachers ahead of new standard based curriculum for SHSs roll out

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) has launched a manual for teachers in Ghana in preparation for the rollout of the new standard-based curriculum for Senior High Schools.

The manual was unveiled by the Director General of NaCCA, Professor Edward Appiah, at Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High School in the Kwadaso Municipality of the Ashanti Region on Tuesday, May 21, 2024.

As part of the launch, SHS tutors from various schools across the region participated in continuous training sessions on how to use the manual effectively for teaching.

Speaking to this reporter at the event, Prof. Edward Appiah stated that the manual has been developed as a complementary document to guide in-service teachers for the successful implementation of the new SHS curriculum. He highlighted the manual's importance, noting that it delves into the general aims, rationale, subject areas, and core competencies of the curriculum.

He emphasized the crucial role teachers play in ensuring the smooth implementation of the curriculum and called on all stakeholders to support this initiative.

New Curriculum to Provide Students with Unlimited Opportunities

Prior to the manual's launch, NaCCA revealed that the new curriculum for Senior High School students will allow learners to study both science and arts-related courses simultaneously. This development is intended to enable students to pursue any course of their choice at the tertiary level without limitations.

According to NaCCA, unlike the old curriculum, where arts students were not permitted to learn major aspects of science, the new curriculum removes such barriers, providing SHS students with more comprehensive educational opportunities.

The Acting Director in charge of curriculum at NaCCA, Mr. Reginald Quartey, discussed this during an engagement session with journalists from across the country. The event, held from Tuesday, May 14 to Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at the Volta Serena Hotel in Ho, Volta Region, brought together numerous top journalists from all regions.

During the engagement, resource persons from NaCCA guided the media through all aspects of the new curriculum for SHS students. Mr. Reginald Quartey emphasized that the new Senior High School Curriculum will focus on social, emotional, and behavioral issues as well as values. He stated that education should empower individuals to positively contribute to society.

Subject Combination
NaCCA also disclosed that the new curriculum will allow students to choose a minimum of seven and a maximum of nine subjects, depending on their individual strengths. Talented students, however, can choose to take more than nine subjects. The curriculum has been designed for grammar, STEM, and technical schools across the country.