National Educational Review Conference: A step in the right direction

During the campaign season, then candidate John Dramani Mahama made a solemn pledge to the effect that, if voted into power for the second term, his administration will be different and exceptional. After his victory and the eventual inauguration, the president has started on a good footing with the few announcements.

The recent pronouncement by President John Dramani Mahama to establish a National Educational Review Conference (NERC) is a step in the right direction towards an effective and efficient educational system that will enhance the country’s human resources for national development. This symbolises hope, confidence and possible achievement of quality educational standard accepted globally.

The thought of assembling the best brains in the educational sector to bring on board their expertise, skills, knowledge and experience to meticulously find solutions to the challenges currently facing the country’s education sector is worthy of recommendation. The conference will explore and utilise the enormous excellent brains that will be assembled to identify the impediments at all the levels of the education and subsequently lead to actionable recommendations to solve them. This approach by the newly elected president is an indication of the great things to come, it will lead to inclusivity, patriotism and confidence in our educational system.

The conference must not only involve academics and educational experts, but should include all stakeholders such as parents and students from some selected schools across the country. They will be in the best position to clearly enumerate some of the challenges they face on day to day basis and present their expectations.

The importance of the conference is on the basis that it will review from the bottom up to the tertiary level and appreciate the hindrances that have affected the educational system and consequently come out with new ideas for quality education.