EDUCATION AGENDA

TOP EDUCATION ACHIEVEMENT IN 2009 AND 2010

1. Increase In Capitation Grant

Government has increased the Capitation Grant by 50% from GHC 3.00 to GHC 4.50 per child. GHC 3.8 million was released as payment.

2. Free Uniforms

President Mills' commitment to ensure no child is deprived of basic education  led to the innovative intervention of supplying free school uniforms to pupils in deprived communities. This has so far achieved 75% penetration in the target communities. This initiative uses local fabrics and local textile industries in order to supportthe local textile industry.

3. Free Exercise Books

Government has also initiated the provision of free exercise books. 50 far, more than 23 million pieces have been distributed. These supplies are not only helping improve school enrolment and attendance, but the local production is contributing to revamping our local printing industry.

4. Expansion of School Feeding Programme

The school feeding programme has been improved and expanded. 230 more schools will be enrolled in January 2011. GH<:13,000,000 was released for the programme in 2009 and in 2010, GHC 50 million.

5. Full Tuition Fees for Teachers

Government paid the full tuition fees for all teachers pursuing further studies through distance learning.

6. Replacing Schools under Trees

A sustained programme involving the Ministry of Education, the GETFUND, and resources allocated by the various District Assemblies has began to ensure the elimination of 'schools under trees' and provide all schools in the country with decent classroom infrastructure. 50 far out of the 4,320 schools under trees, almost 1,000 schools under trees have been eliminated across the country.

7. Revamping Collapsed Science Resource Centres

Government has started a programme to re-equip science resource centres in all districts of the country as part of the commitment in the NDC manifesto to enhance the teaching and learning of science. The centres, an innovation under the NDC administration of Jerry Rawlings, were neglected by the NPP and run down. A model state of the art Science & ICT Resource Centre has been constructed in Bolga in the Upper East Region to serve the three Northern Regions and
students from neighbouring countries. This was commissioned by President Mills in November, 2010.

8. Reduction in SHS Duration

Government fulfilled a campaign and manifesto promise to reduce the duration of SHS (formerly SSS) from 4 to 3 years. That extension itself had no strong technical basis and the NPP government failed to put in place infrastructure development plans that will ensure that the needed classroom, dormitory, library, dining and assembly hall etc are in place for the implementation. Government will thus focus on quality infrastructure and logistics and motivation of teachers other than mere expansion in duration.

Outlook for 2010

The main focus of Government will be the implementation of the Education Strategic Plan as the GPRS II which has identified new areas for the acceleration, effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of education in the country. The Strategic Plan among other things is addressing the challenges in management, structure and content of Education.

Pre-School Education

The Government will continue with its activities towards providing infrastructural facilities for pre-school education across the country. The Government intends to construct 200 No. 3-Unit Classroom Blocks with ancillary facilities in 170 cost centres. This will be done in collaboration with District Assemblies and other non-state actors.

Enrolment drive activities will also be intensified to sensitize communities on the importance of pre-school education.

Basic Education

  • Intensified enrolment drive including sensitization programmes will be pursued to increase access to Primary and Junior High School education to accelerate progress towards the attainment of Universal Primary Completion by 2012;
  • To further expand and improve upon educational infrastructure, the Government will continue with the programme of upgrading basic school academic facilities. This will include the provision of water and sanitation facilities and other essential services. Existing classrooms will be rehabilitated and provided with needed furniture;
  • Government will continue the payment of Capitation Grant and subsidy for BECE as well as provision of school uniforms (and exercise books) to enhance participation and quality in teaching and learning;
  • Government will continue to provide free exercise books for every pupil in all public basic schools; and
  • Government will support the conduct of regular inservice training for basic school teachers under the INSET programme.

Second Cycle

In connection with the change in the duration of Senior High School Education, Government will embark on the construction of infrastructural facilities for Senior High School and Technical Institutes. In very critical cases, facilities will be upgraded and rehabilitated.

Government will ensure the completion of the second phase of the upgrading of the 25 Senior High Schools. As part of the policy to promote technical and vocational education, Government will initiate processes to rehabilitate and upgrade public TVET institution as well. In line with this, Government will support COTVET to implement the formal apprenticeship programs.

Government will continue to provide subsidy to all students in Senior High School. The payment of scholarships for Senior High Schools will also continue during the year.

Promotion of Science and Technical Education

Government will continue rehabilitation works on Science Resource Centres and relentlessly pursue programmes like STME Clinics to increase students’ interest in the study of Science. The focus of Government on skills development is to provide alternative streams of technical education in the country. Consequently, Government will provide infrastructural facilities to technical education to enable the sub-sector achieve the desired goals. In addition, collaboration with industries is paramount and will therefore be strengthened in various areas of TVET delivery in the country.

Computerized School Selection Placement System (CSSPS)

Government will continue to improve the computerized School Selection Placement System (CSSPS) to ensure a more objective and efficient placement of pupils in Senior High Schools to enhance increased access to Secondary Education.

Gender Parity

The Government will continue to give financial and material support to gender related activities and other stakeholders. There will also be enrolment drive activities to sensitize parents to enroll their girl child in schools.

Quality Control & Assessment

  • To improve pupil/students achievement and to sustain enrolment and retention, Monitoring, Supervision and Inspection will be strengthened;
  • Teacher Preparation, Upgrading and Deployment will be embarked upon through proper appraisal, inservice training and incentives to motivate them to give off their best. The issue of geographical disparities in teacher allocation especially in deprive districts will be seriously addressed;
  • Government will organize training programmes for teachers, heads of schools and Directors of Education on the use of the School Education Assessment (SEA) and the National Education Assessment (NEA) results, to enhance proper assessment of pupil learning outcomes; and
  • Programmes to improve resource planning, development and management will be embarked upon. To respond to local conditions and priorities, decentralization of responsibilities to the Districts and Schools will be accelerated. School Management
  • Committees (SMC) and School Boards will be provided with management training programmes to enable them function efficiently. Directors, School Heads, Inspectors and Circuit Supervisors will also be trained to upgrade their management skills.

Teacher Motivation and Retention

The Government will continue implementing teacher incentive packages and motivation for teachers. Effective teachers in rural areas who are pursuing distance education will benefit from GH¢100 government subsidy annually. Science and Mathematics teachers will continue to enjoy three incremental credits on their respective ranks.

Special Education

Government will continue to provide funds for the organization of training courses for special school staff.

Library Services

Government will expand the Mobile Library Services to cover two more districts in each region. Library services will also be extended to distance learning students.

National Service Scheme

Government will continue to post service personnel and Volunteer Service Personnel to areas that they are needed most, especially the rural areas. Government will also facilitate income generating activities and implementation of the endowment fund policy for the Scheme, with the aim of making it a self financing organization.

Tertiary Education

Government will vigorously pursue its policy to enhance access, quality, equity and relevance at the tertiary level through a number of strategies. GETFund will continue to support tertiary institutions to:

  • Facilitate the acquisition of teaching and learning materials to improve quality of education;
  • Complete projects already started; and
  • Undertake research and develop capacity of staffs.

Government will also establish two new Universities, one in the Volta Region and the other in the Brong Ahafo Region through Public Private Partnerships. Government will also continue its policy of promoting institutional differentiation at the tertiary level aimed at offering attractive options within tertiary education institutions. In this regard, Government will continue to provide appropriate regulatory framework to enhance private participation and improve access and quality in tertiary education.

Government will continue to strengthen and develop the capacity of the regulatory bodies to ensure quality delivery of education at tertiary education institutions and will also support distance education at the universities. In line with government policy of promoting institutional differentiation at the tertiary level, colleges of education will be fully integrated into the tertiary system in 2010. Government will also provide support for tertiary education institutions to undertake basic and applied research, particularly, in science and technology.

An office complex will be completed for the tertiary education regulatory bodies to enhance their efficiency and effectiveness.

Non-Formal Education

Government will continue the process of re-invigoration for effective contribution towards reduction of adult illiteracy in the country.

Government in 2009 focused on the achievement of targets set under the Education Strategic Plan, the GPRS II and the implementation of the Education Reforms Programme.

Performance in 2009

Basic Education

Government continued the implementation of the Capitation Grant to support access, participation and quality in basic schools. The 50per cent increase in the grant enabled schools to provide additional services for improving teaching and learning. A total of GH¢23.53million was released as Capitation Grant and for the first time, all Capitation Grant arrears were paid to schools. Government also made available an amount of GH¢4.68 million as the annual subsidy for the conduct of the BECE for 2009.

Government also provided an amount of GH¢17.2 million for the implementation of the free uniform and the provision of free exercise books as promised in the NDC Manifesto. Government further supplied textbooks to basic schools as part of efforts to make textbooks available to every pupil.

Second Cycle

Government reversed the duration of the Senior High School, from the initial four years to three. The change will take effect at the beginning of the next academic year. A total of GH¢17.76million was spent on SHS subsidy. Government also paid all the arrears accruing to the Northern Scholarship Scheme. Similarly, arrears on Scholarships have also been paid.

National Service Scheme

Out of 40,000 service personnel posted nation-wide to institutions, departments and agencies, 24,000 representing 60per cent of total postings were deployed in the education sector. The Scheme also deployed 20,000 volunteers to teach at basic education level under the National Volunteer Programme to make up for the shortfall in teacher supply within the sector. The Scheme also procured 6 vehicles for the regions to strengthen monitoring and evaluation to facilitate the tracking of the effective implementation of strategies and activities.

Library Services

The Mobile Library Service is operating in all the 10 regions on pilot basis. For each region, 2 districts were selected as beneficiaries of the service with the intention of servicing at least 2 communities. Other activities or programmes during the year were:

  •  Funds were provided for the Upper East and Eastern Regional Libraries for the celebration of the International Children’s Book day;
  •  From 2008 to date books worth GH¢254,000.00 have been purchased for distribution to the various libraries throughout the country; and
  •  Electrical work at the George Padmore Research Library on African Affairs was completed as well as the re-roofing of the Sunyani children’s library.

Non-Formal Education

Staff was recruited to fill vacant positions as part of efforts at restructuring the Non-Formal Education division. The programme further recruited and trained 1,600 facilitators to handle 40,000 learners in 15 Ghanaian languages.

Tertiary Education

Government is seriously pursuing its policy of promoting access to education. In the public funded universities, enrolment increased from 93,973 in the 2007/2008 academic year to 100,020 in the 2008/2009 (6.4per cent). Polytechnics enrolment also increased from 34,448 to 39,129 (13.6per cent) during the same period. The increase in enrolment in distance education in the public universities was much more significant rising from 22,571 in 2007/2008 to 31, 994 in 2008/2009 academic years, brepresenting an increase of 41.75per cent.

Progress has been made towards the admission of students from deprived areas. In this regard, tertiary education institutions are to determine appropriate quotas to increase enrolment from deprived areas. There has been an upsurge in private accredited tertiary institutions which has helped to expand enrolment at the tertiary level. Currently, 55 private institutions have been accredited to provide tertiary education.

Colleges of Education

A road map for full integration of the 38 colleges of education into the tertiary system is being pursued. In the meantime, interim councils are being appointed to oversee the transition of the colleges of education to tertiary status. The curriculum of the colleges of education is also being reviewed.

Polytechnic Education

Polytechnics have been accredited to offer bachelor of technology degrees, particularly, in science and technology as a top-up of existing HND programmes. Competency based training has been introduced to improve quality and relevance in polytechnic education.

Promotion of Science and Technical Education

The COTVET secretariat has been established with the following other achievements:

  • Renovation and refurbishment of temporary office accommodation for the core staff to start the Council’s operations;
  • Preparation of Competency- Based Training materials in Electronics, Welding and Fabrication, Plant Engineering and Hospitality and Tourism; and
  • Sensitization workshop on Institutional Development Plans for Principals and Vice- principals of Technical Institutes.

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