Ghana has not benefited from educational reforms - PUCG President

Reverend Professor Emmanuel Adow Obeng, the President of the Presbyterian University College, Ghana (PUCG), has indicated that irrespective of the educational policy reforms that have taken place over the years, Ghana has not benefited much from such policies.

“Despite all the educational policy reforms that have taken place in Ghana, the relevant type of education that is required to contribute effectively to socio-economic development of the country still eludes Ghanaians,” he said.

He explained that schools and students are operating below expectation, while the educational system is unable to equip students with the requisite employable skills, knowledge, abilities, environmental awareness and the entrepreneurial skills needed to be relevant to the society.

Reverend Prof Obeng was speaking at the maiden edition of the graduation ceremony for Master of Education (M.Ed) in Educational Studies at Abetifi.

The ceremony was on the theme: ‘The role of graduate teachers in educational reforms’.

A total of 248 students graduated in M.Ed. programme of which 125 were males and 123 females.

The graduands were from different backgrounds and professional areas, which included teaching, finance, theology and administration.

Revd Prof Obeng said in the past 60 years, Ghana had experienced educational policy reforms such as the 1951 Accelerated Development Plan for Education, the 1961 Education Act and the Kwapong Educational Review Committee.

Others are the Dzobo Educational Review Committee (New Structure and Content of Education 1974), the Evans–Anfom Educational Review Committee (1987 Education Reform Policy) and the Anamuah-Mensah Educational Review Committee (2007 Educational Reforms).

Revd Prof Obeng said the educational reforms were introduced with the hope of having an educational system that would be relevant to the current and future developmental needs of the country.

They were also to equip students with the relevant knowledge, contemporary information, communication technology skills and make education accessible to a greater proportion of the population.

He said despite all these efforts, the country had not been able to meet its targeted objective but rather the educational system, on yearly basis, was adding on to the teeming unemployed youth.

Revd Prof Obeng attributed the failure of the educational reforms to the inconsistency in government policies, lack of political will to effect lasting solutions to educational problems and inadequate funding.

He said sometimes educational reforms were even based on party manifestoes instead of national development agenda.

He, therefore, charged the graduands to become change agents to help develop a new paradigm, which would strategically position the country’s educational system to meet national needs.

Source: GNA