'We are returning to foundational learning of reading, writing and arithmetic' — Mahama on poor WASSCE results
President John Dramani Mahama has attributed the recent drop in student performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination to long-standing weaknesses in basic education, stressing the need for a national return to strong early literacy and numeracy.
Speaking at the Doha Forum 2025 during a panel on “Economic Empowerment in Africa, Pathway to Inclusive Prosperity,” the President said the country must urgently refocus on foundational learning to correct deficiencies that have made progress at the secondary level increasingly difficult.
He noted that the results emerging from WASSCE clearly show gaps in mathematics, writing and sentence construction.
“There has been neglect at the basic level, and we are going back to foundational learning. Children must master reading, writing and arithmetic,” he said. “With a weak basic foundation, it becomes difficult for a child to catch up at the secondary level.”
President Mahama explained that spending on secondary education had expanded rapidly while basic schools had been left behind, creating an imbalance that continues to affect educational outcomes. He said government would review the distribution of resources to achieve better results for learners.
The President also outlined plans to overhaul the broader education system, emphasising a renewed focus on foundational learning and stronger investment in technical, vocational and educational training.
He said the current system, inherited from the British, places excessive emphasis on academic pathways and produces graduates who struggle to meet industry needs. He stressed that industry now requires more middle level technicians rather than large numbers of graduates in business administration or the humanities.
According to him, a serious shift toward TVET would better equip young people with the practical skills demanded by today’s economy.
President Mahama also highlighted Ghana’s domestic strategy for funding education, noting that global partners have reduced their support for education programmes. He pointed to the 2.5 per cent VAT earmarked for the Ghana Education Trust Fund and additional national budget allocations, which together help the country consistently meet its 20 per cent funding target for education.
He encouraged other African countries to adopt similar domestic financing models to reduce dependence on external assistance.
“With dwindling external funding, we need mechanisms that allow us to contribute to our own children’s education,” he said.