New Curriculum for High Schools in Ghana, a paradigm shift for Ghanaian youth: Written by Emmanuel Dei Nuamah.

Ghana has updated its senior high school (SHS) curriculum to align with the needs of the fourth industrial revolution. The new curriculum restructure subject choices, integrate 21st-century skills, strengthen values education, and introduce flexible pathways and modern assessment methods to better prepare students for higher education and the workforce.

The Common Core Programme (CCP) curriculum and the Free Senior High School policy were introduced by the then Ghana's Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, between 2017 and 2021. Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, formal minister of Education led curriculum modifications from 2021 to 2025, including the 2025 SHS reforms that prioritized TVET integration and practical, competency-based learning. From 2025 onward, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, the current Minister, has concentrate on integrating AI, digital learning, and curricular language improvements.

The Ghanaian Ministry of Education is now implementing a thorough curriculum reform for Senior High Schools (SHS) with the goal of producing well-rounded, values-driven students who are prepared for the twenty-first century. Important Aspects of the New SHS Curriculum: Flexibility and Subject Load Students are required to study a total of seven to nine disciplines, divided into four categories:

Group A: Core subjects for all students (e.g., general science, mathematics, languages, RME, PE, career tech, social studies, computing, creative arts).

Group B: Specialised sciences (biology, chemistry, physics) replacing the old “core science” subject.

Group C: Advanced science-related subjects (electronics, food & nutrition, further mathematics).

Group D: Non-science electives (economics, history, religion, Ghanaian languages).

Nonetheless, the curriculum places particular emphasis on 21st-Century Skills & Values, which emphasizes critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, ICT, and national values; Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which emphasizes the transition from rote learning to active, skills-based teaching with weekly Professional Learning Community (PLC) sessions; and character development, which emphasizes the integration of social and behavioral competencies alongside cognitive skills.

Additionally, all levels are now referred to as Basic Schools (BS), with SHS1 being BS10, SHS2 being BS11, and SHS3 being BS12, according to the Ministry of Education of Ghana. These structural modifications center on the Unified Basic School Structure from KG to SHS. JHS–SHS1 (BS 7–10) pathways adhere to a Common Core Program (CCP) consisting of nine topics. Students in SHS3 (BS 12) take the University Entrance Exam, which takes the role of the WASSCE, while in SHS2 (BS 11), they can choose between academic/diploma and vocational programs (arts, business, and science).

In terms of assessment reforms, students will take the Common Core Exam after SHS1, which will be followed by six (6) types of assessment: group projects, individual portfolios, mid/end-semester exams, SHS class/home exercises, and projects. At the key primary and JHS levels, continuous class tests are replaced with National Standard Assessments.

The Ministry of Education of Ghana has created the implementation and support following considerable stakeholder consultation to address national and student needs. The Ministry of Education's curriculum microsite and NaCCA's curriculum portal, www.https://curriculumresources.edu.gh+1, provide resources and instructor guides. To guarantee integrity, the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and Ghana Education Service (GES) would conduct monitoring and evaluation visits.

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