Universities Asked To Introduce Orientation Programmes For SHS Students

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, a Deputy Minister of Education in-charge of Basic and Secondary Education, has asked the nation's universities to introduce orientation programmes for senior high school (SHS) students to prepare them for tertiary education.

He noted that implementing such policies would enable SHS students, particularly those from less privileged backgrounds, see possibilities for themselves to excel academically and as well as help them function properly within the tertiary setup.

Dr Osei Adutwum said this at the 2018 Educational Submit in Accra, which witnessed the launch of the National Pre-University Exchange Programme for SHS Students.

It was on the theme: 'UG@70- Bridging the Gap between Secondary and University Education in Ghana: The Role of Stakeholders'.

The event which registered over 400 participants; was organised by the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana (UG) in collaboration with the Ghana National Exchange Programme School.

Dr Osei Adutwum emphasised the need to also bridge the gap in the educational sector and create a system; a pipeline from kindergarten to secondary.

He explained that one could not create that pipeline in the absence of a national assessment programme.

'The first time you can access students to know whether they are doing well or not, is after 11 years of education," he added.

The Deputy Minister said no country reforms its educational system without national assessment at different points in the educational system.

He said the Ministry of Education would as from next year; look at a national assessment programme, which would provide the opportunity to access students, periodically.

'With the national assessment programme, we will know if a student in primary two is meeting its reading and numeracy goals; in primary four, we will know if the student is able to read and write and I am hopeful that this will enable stakeholders build interventions into the system," he said.

Reverend Professor Patrick Ayeh-Kumi, the Provost of the College of Health Sciences, UG, noted that there had been several attempts to address the problem in the past through policy changes, which aimed at increasing the number of years students spend in SHS.

He was of the view that to be able to properly address the issue, the nation would require curricular, structural, and social implementations at the two levels of education.

Rev Prof Ayeh-Kumi said the College on a mission to advance an intervention programme targeted at developing the overall adaptability of SHS students to higher education environment through career driven practices.

This he explained was based on based on the experience gained in the areas of training, research, and partnership.

He said the initiative would require massive support and inputs from experienced and dedicated personalities who were passionate about improving the nation's educational system and seeing to it that young students well versed professionals in the near future.

Mrs Christine Churcher, a Board Chair of Ghana Gas, who officially launched the Summit, noted that education was the equaliser of life opportunities therefore; students should capitalise on the opportunities available and strive for excellence.

Mrs Churcher, who was also the Chairperson for the event, encouraged the students not to bemoan where they came from, but rather be inspired by these opportunities and excel.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency Mr Kobla Asamani, Director, National Pre-University Exchange Programme, said the initiative would emphasis on career development and financing tertiary education.

He said it would run both during vacations and normal academic sessions within a maximum of three weeks, where students would be taken through series of activities being run by UG; stating that, 'this would expose them to what university education is all about.'

He noted that on rotational basis, either being a weekend or normal week session, the university would invite students to undergo other activities that would also enhance the development of their future plans.

GNA
By Iddi Yire, GNA