New educational system will stand the test of time - MP

Accra, July 19, GNA - Mr Joseph K. Nayan, NPP MP for Nkwanta North on Tuesday said the review of the educational reforms when fully implemented would stand the test of time and would be the best ever reforms in the country.

He said the committee tasked by the President in 2002 to review the reforms has indicated in its white paper that basic education as currently structured and delivered in Ghana from primary to JSS is inadequate to equip young pupils.

"The government of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) share with the people the passionate interest in education and the anxiety to bring about constant improvement in its availability and relevance." Mr Nayan said the current training does not sufficiently equip pupils with basic reading, writing and numeracy skills required for further training at the secondary level to international standards. "Also it does not train them with practical skills for the world of work."

He said there has been unanimous agreement that under the 1987 educational reforms, public education in Ghana has failed to meet expectations in terms of coverage, quality, equitableness and economic utility.

"The consensus among government, educational professionals, parents and employers is that the innovation of a three-year JSS system to cap a six-year primary education course has failed to deliver its promise of comprehensively equipping the youth of that age bracket with directly employable skills."

"It is also chasing after those unrealistic goals in technical and vocational skills. The JSS system has failed to do more to strengthen the basic skills of Ghanaian youth in numeracy and literacy."

"The nation cannot afford this level of attitude at all our levels of education and it is based on this that the government is in the process of introducing a continuous eleven year basic education system to create a universal and compulsory basic education system."