National Stakeholders from all sub-sectors within the education space have called for managers of educational resources to efficiently use the limited resources available, and depoliticise management of the sector to create a better future for the nation.
According to the Stakeholders, it’s urgent that different approaches are adopted to ensure accountability and transformation of the education sector in the country as doing something the same way cannot produce the different results expected with the limited resources available
Sharing ideas at the annual National Education Week (NEW) celebration under the theme: ‘Re-assessing Educational Policies for Effective Service Delivery and National Transformation’, stakeholders commended the government for some transformative policies introduced over the past few years but called for increased monitoring and supervision to ensure efficient implementation in order to derive good outcomes.
The Chairperson of the occasion, Dr. Charles Badu Yeboah, emphasised that quality education is the only way to poverty-proof current youth and children from future economic uncertainties.
“In developing new policies and programmes for the education of future generations, we need to be responsible and ensure broad stakeholder engagement to ensure the national transition we expect to happen. We should not play politics with policy development in our education sector and expect the best outcomes.
“The people who can bring the change we need in our education sector are here in this room. The capacity to bring better outcomes for our learners is out here, so let’s bring all stakeholders on board.
“The lessons learned from last year about re-imaging education and better use of limited resources must influence our decision-making to implement policies that ensure effective service delivery and national transformation,” he said.
The stakeholders, especially those from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), mentioned some practices such as sole sourcing of contracts, late release and sometimes, non-release of budgetary allocation to special educational projects, and capping of funds needed for education projects, among others as factors inhibiting the sector and must be shunned.
Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, the National Coordinator for Ghana National Education Coalition Campaign (GNECC), Bernice Mpere-Gyekye, mentioned, among others, the expectation of CSOs from the government, which included investment in infrastructure, especially in remote areas, to eliminate some schools under trees, sustain implementation of free SHS, strengthening community support to improve education infrastructure and learning.
Others are increased budgetary allocation to the implementation of Inclusive Complementary Basic Education (CBE) from the current 0.02 percent of the sector budget in 2022 to ensure the most marginalised are not further disadvantaged; ensuring the release of funds allocated to special needs education, such as learning materials for disabled, among others.
She iterated that good and quality education produces the competent and world-class professionals needed in any specific field to develop the country.
Deputy Minister of Education, John Ntim Fordjour, speaking on behalf of the sector minister reiterated that reassessing educational policies as outlined in the theme for the commemoration is very important and its essence cannot be overemphasised.
“Stakeholders within the education sector need to delve deeper into the various government policies, programmes and projects within the sector in order to help shape them to achieve the expected outcome,” he said.
He concluded that the government is committed to addressing challenges in the education sector, and will take a key interest in policy suggestions from stakeholders.
The 2022 NEW is witnessing the participation of approximately 300 officials drawn from the Ministry of Education, officials from our agencies, GES regional directors, regional planning officers, and selected district directors, district planning officers, heads of schools, and representatives from other ministries, development partners, academia, teacher unions, NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector.
