Inclusive curriculum needed at basic education level – Neogenics

Education Think Tank, Neogenics Education Group has called for an inclusive curriculum for basic education in Ghana.

The call comes after Cabinet’s approval of rebranding of non-formal education to cater for school dropouts at all levels of the educational sector, known as the Complementary Education Agency.

The entity will focus on the provision of education for street children who never had the opportunity to enter the classroom and those who dropped out after the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), and the West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Speaking to CitiNews on the rebranding of non-formal education, the Chief Executive of Neogenics, Grant Bulmuo, commended the model but called for a revision of Ghana’s basic education curriculum to cater for all categories of learners.

“I definitely would recommend an inclusive curriculum which supposed to be the case. Where the offering or the provision is such that low achiever, middle achiever, high achievers all can access the education, but then if we don’t have the right expertise to deliver the curriculum, then we have a challenge, some students would be lack behind and if we don’t equip our teachers of differentiating the curriculum, so they are all not taught the same way, with the same approach, we would have some children lacking behind,”

“for example by JHS which know which children are academically inclined, which children are vocationally inclined and which students would want to go straight in the industry and work through an apprenticeship. Ghana needs an alternative for children, so they can maximize their potential. Otherwise, we waste so many resources over schooling children, that leads to under education, mis-education and non-education,” he said,

On the other hand, The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT)  has cautioned government against rushing to implement the proposed standards-based curriculum until implementers and stakeholders have been thoroughly sensitised.

This is because, if properly implemented, the new curriculum would go a long way to address the shortfalls in the educational system and eliminate the “chew and pour” method of learning which has characterised the country’s educational system.

President Nana Akufo–Addo in his state of the nation address on Thursday, February 21, 2019, announced that Ghana would in September 2019, roll out a new standards-based curriculum from kindergarten to class six in primary schools intended to make Ghanaian school children well-rounded and creative thinkers.

In September 2019, a new standards-based curriculum will be rolled out from kindergarten to Class 6 in primary schools,” he said when he delivered the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on Thursday.

“Mathematics, Science, Reading, Writing and Creativity are, therefore, at the heart of this new curriculum,” the President added.

He also said ten new Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Centres will be constructed this year, 2019, to boost TVET education in the country.

“Young people have to have options on which career path they choose, and I am glad to announce that all is set for the construction of 10 state-of-the-art Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) Centres this year,” he added.

 

Source: citinewsroom