It is very painful and heartbreaking to admit that the Ghanaian educational system is being exploited, manipulated and deteriorated by politicians who do so for their own personal, parochial and political sentiments.
They have always hoodwinked us “the populace” with sugarcoated and unrealistic policies just to get an endorsement of our thumbprints on Election Day.
I am of no denial that I belong to a political fraternity. However, I will never jeopardise the future of my country and our upcoming youth to “cheap” politicking which has a high potential of plunging the formal educational system into limbo.
Indeed, our formal educational system has been betrayed and made mockery of. Countries such as Luxembourg, Finland, South Korea, the United Kingdom (UK), Singapore and Canada have the best educational systems in the world because:
- Politicians are not allowed to manipulate their educational system as and when they feel like doing so to satisfy their political ego.
- Priority is laid on teachers and they are well reinforced since they are the pivotal force in administering education.
- There is equality among schools and no school is deemed superior over another. Likewise, no programme of study is deemed more important than another.
- Students have bright futures tailored to their strengths, interests and talents.
But this is what is happening in Ghana now:
- Students with aggregate 44 and above are offered admission to pursue General Science in Senior High Schools (SHS). As an educationist, I do not see one programme or course to be superior over another but the fact has to be established. These students have failed in Mathematics and Science (certainly that is not their field) yet they are placed to study Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Elective Mathematics! Against their will! Are we serious as a country?
- I know and have evidence of students with aggregate 49 who have been offered Business and they personally tell me they will not be able to pursue it because it is not their area of interest; they never chose such programme. What are we doing to the future generation?
- I also know and have evidence of students who performed very well at the private variation of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) which was written in February, this year, and are finding it difficult to get placement. Why?
- Another painful fact is that some unscrupulous students now go around bragging and making sarcastic comments that they will not study because they will still be placed even with aggregate 54 simply because of Free SHS Education. And all this is undermining the plight of the classroom teacher.
One of the major objectives of the 1980 Educational Reform, which was implemented in 1987, states: “To improve QUALITY of Education by making it more EFFECTIVE to Socio-Economic conditions.”
I doubt if we can boast of quality in education in this country per the ongoing shenanigans regarding the Free SHS policy and its implementation.
Just a year or two ago, students with grade 9 in any of the core subjects were denied placement. Today, even those with such grades are given “the best of schools”. Where is quality and fairness? Is it not painful?
We say it is free yet there is segregation in terms of cost for day students and boarding students. Does that mean that boarding students are better off and deserve more than the day students?
We say Double Track System and yet some schools are left out – where is the universal nature of free education?
This Free Senior High School Policy is a splendid idea – no doubt about that. But the modus operandi seeks to undermine our educational standards, our thinking capabilities, our curriculum and our ethics as a nation.
Teachers are suffering and instead of addressing their genuine issues, you go to bring a policy without broader consultations, which is even more annoying and undermining to their profession. How do you expect the best to come out of them when you do not even recognise them? Most are even at sea with regard to this whole thing considering the fact that no orientation was given prior to the hasty commencement of the policy.
We have not also reinforced Technical and Vocational Education so that students who show strong interest in such areas would be identified, motivated and urged to pursue such programmes in order to increase productivity in the near future. Instead, we randomly select programmes/courses and schools for students. Then what is the essence of them making their choices during registration?
I am of a strong belief that any educationist who has the country at heart will see sense in this little write-up. I also even know for a fact that most educationists and concerned citizens within the governing party are unhappy with this development but have no option than to stay mute simply because they want to be loyal. Well, Abraham Lincoln once said “To sin by silence makes cowards of men”.
Over the past years, there have been lots of changes and manipulations in the educational sector which has caused lots of pain to victims and uncertainty as to the seriousness government attaches to the educational sector. It is such a shame that this sector is looked down upon and used as an experimental piece.
It is high time we reserved the sanctity of our educational system and ran it as a tradition other than manipulating it to destroy its essence for us as a nation.
It is again high time we had a one-time educational policy or reform which will not be subject to political manipulation.
“The only necessary thing for the triumph of evil is for good men to see it happen and do nothing about it.” (Edmund Burke)
I have done my part. I have not remained silent. It is now left unto you to propagate this if you share my opinion. I am not urging you to share this post but I urge you to act based on your own discretion.
Article written by Paul Honkani, a teacher and author of “The Sound of Rain”