Ghana, a country on the West Coast of Africa, is one of the most thriving democracies on the continent.

It has often been referred to as an "island of peace" in one of the most chaotic regions on earth. It shares boundaries with Togo to the east, la Cote d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north and the Gulf of Guinea, to the south. A recent discovery of oil in the Gulf of Guinea could make Ghana an important oil producer and exporter in the next few years. The country's economy is dominated by agriculture, which employs about 40 percent of the working population. Ghana is one of the leading exporters of cocoa in the world. It is also a significant exporter of commodities such as gold and lumber. A country covering an area of 238,500 square kilometres, Ghana has an estimated population of 22 million, drawn from more than one hundred ethnic groups - each with its own unique language. English, however, is the official language, a legacy of British colonial rule. In 1957, Ghana (formerly known as the Gold Coast) became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa to gain independence. After leading the country for nine years, the nation's founding president, Kwame Nkrumah was overthrown in a coup d'etat in 1966. After Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana was ruled by a series of military despots with intermittent experiments with democratic rule, most of which were curtailed by military takeovers. The latest and most enduring democratic experiment started in 1992 and it is what has gained recognition for Ghana as a leading democracy in Africa. Ghana has several tourist attractions such as the castles. Most of the major international airlines fly into and from the international airport in Accra. Domestic air travel is thriving and the country has a vibrant telecommunications sector, with five cellular phone operators and several internet service providers.

Issues: Concerning Education in Ghana

17/02/2010
1. SENIOR /JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL OR SENIOR /JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL ? 2. A SOLUTION ? APPLY THE OCCAMS RAZOR. OR HAVE A REFERENDUM? 3. FOUR YEARS OR THREE YEARS DURATION ?

CONDITIONED BY numerous ,CONSTRAINTS

There are myriads of problems confronting education in Ghana. These problems have to be fixed for the sake of the young, especially those in K-12 schools and for those unborn.. Several education reform efforts have been initiated over the years aimed at finding lasting solutions to problems concerning education in Ghana. In spite of that Ghana education is perceived to be still overwhelmed with insurmountable problems. Conscious of the foregoing, the current NDC administration and the Ghana Education Service in its first year organized a National Education Forum. Ostensibly this forum was to brainstorm some educational issues,not the least of which is the Governments avowed intent to change the duration of second cycle education. Following in the wake of the forum the vice-president announced another conference/ meeting of political parties to find solutions to Ghanas educational woes. This meeting, if it happens will be the second such meeting of H.E.President John Atta Mills NDC led Government. And this government will be only one year old, The main thrust of this paper is about aspects of past and present developments in education: the attitude of politicians in government when it comes to solving problems in Ghana education - the unproductive manner in which time is wasted on frivolous issues which tend to be of no educational value to those yearning for answers - education reform efforts of successive governments, and how such efforts have often failed to yield productive educational outcomes because of poor implementation. Additionally, focus will be directed at the unnecessary preoccupation of the current government about which labels to use for the last three years of Basic Education and second cycle schools; and the duration of second cycle education. It is the view of this writer that the over - politicization of educational matters in Ghana must be stopped. It is common knowledge that the art of governance is complex and uneasy. Be that as it may, the task oftentimes becomes much more tedious, confused , and unproductive especially to the majority of the less educated, and minors at the receiving end of what politicians prescribe. This happens when a government allows political considerations to blurr its vision of effectively working to attain

enduring policies. In the process, unfortunately, governments resign themselves and resort to distrative coping techniques to resolve problems.. in this manner ad- hoc mechanisims become the modus operandi albeit an aid to help governments muddle through their eight or nineteen years rule ( as was the case in the PNDC/NDC Rawlings administration).. Governments thereby leave office without resolving the fundamentally crucial issues bedevilling the development of education in Ghana. Is it not mind boggling that a government which is barely a year in office should spent time, money and the resourse of educational experts, and the general public on an educational forum primarily to determine the following issues: 1. The duration of Senior Secondary/High Schools4 years as we had it under the NPP Government under President J.A. Kuffour or 3 years under the PNDC/NDC Government under President JJ Rawlings. 2. The last three years of Basic Education should it be called Junior Secondary School as recommended in the Dzobo ( New Content and Structure of Education in Ghana, 1972 ), adopted by NPP Government under President JA Kuffour, or called Junior High School as we had it under President JJ Rawlings?

3 The second cycle of K-12 education --should it be called Senior Secondary School as recommended in the Dzobo Education Reforms ( New Structure and Content of Education in Ghana,1972 ), adopted by the NPP Government under President JA Kuffour, or Senior High School as we had it under the NDC rule of President JJ Rawlings? The resolution of the above will be decided by an Act of Parliament. And as if this is not enough, about a year and one month into the administration of the NDC Government under President Atta Mills the Vice President has hinted that members of the nations political parties should ready themselves for an allparties Conference on Education. And this will be, in all probability, another diversion for Ghanaians who anxiously wait for government action to redeem the educational woes facing the nation.

SIMPLY RIDICULOUS
Come to think of it, is it not simply ridiculous that over thirty years ( 1972 to date) when the Dzobo Education Report was published to this day, in the 21 century, when it comes to education labels for its K- 12 schools, Ghanaians find themselves in the doldrums and confused what to call the last three years of its Basic Education and the second cycle of its educaton system. Aditionally, it has taken Ghanaians thirty years and over, and we are not decided yet how many years students in our second cycle schools should spend to graduate. When the PNDC/ NDC ( 1981 2000 ) part military part civilian administration of Flight Lieutenant / PNDC Chairman/ President JJ Rawlings set out to implement the Dzobo Education Reform Proposals , 1972, ( full implementation of which had been shelved for fifteen years, and not until after the Evans Anfom Reform Committee, 1987 ), it decided to replace the Dzobo labels of JUNIOR SECONDARY/ SENIOR SECONDARY with the JUNIOR HIGH/ SENIOR HIGH labels. Added to this was the change in the duration of second cycle education from four to three years. Then came the NPP Administration of President J.A. Kuffour ,( 2000-2008 ), and the Anamuah- Mensah Reform Committee. Again there was a change and a return to the original Dzobo Reform proposal of JUNIOR SECONDARY/ SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOl labels. The administration also reverted to the original Dzobo Reform Proposal of four instead of three years for second cycle schools.. And now, the new administration, barely in a year, and consistent with the NDC manifesto of 2008, and barring the unlikely rejection by parliament of President Atta Mills NDC manisfestos preference, the descriptive labels for Junior Secondary and Senior Secondary schools will once again revert to Junior High/Senior High school labels. In the same vein the duration of second cycle education will change from four to three years. NEEDED: A REFERENDUM? Ghanaians pride themselves as the first African Country South of the Sahara to gain independence from British colonial rule - the first country south of the Sahara to produce a Secretary- General for the United Nations Organisation etc. etc. Yet when it comes to

which of these English words : secondary or high to fit in between Senior/ Junior----------------- and School ? we are at a loss and indecisive. This record does not bestow any credit to the image of Ghana, its government and its people. Ghana could do better than this. Maybe, at the next Parliamentary and Presidential Elections come 2012, the Electoral Commissioner should make provision on the ballot paper to enable the good people of Ghana - the electorate, to vote on this and other such contentious issues This would be a referendum ; and it would perhaps, be an efficient way to resolve these over-politicised and contentious issues once and for all. It appears our politicians have turned this issue into an unnecessary albatross around our necks, and Ghanaians can live without it. The British colonial Government and later the CPP Government under President Kwame Nkrumah settled with the labels :PrimaryMiddle ---Secondary. And this worked fine for years. In fact from 1961, the year of Dr. Nkrumahs Accelerated Development Plan through the Kwapong Education Reforms, these labels worked alright in our K -12- schools.. Up to the 1966 Kotoka /Afrifa Coup through the short lived administration of Dr. Kofi Abrefa Busia there was no change in these descriptive labels for the primary and the post -primary levels of the education system. Then came Colonel Kutu Akyeampongs coup d etait and Government; and the Dzobo Education reform Committee of 1972.

THE DZOBO EDUCATION REFORMS The Dzobo Education Reform proposals, more than any other, first ushered into the Ghana education scene the descriptive labels of JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL and SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL for the last three years of basic education and the second cycle education respectively. This hereafter became the norm that replaced the Middle School /Secondary school labels of the pre- university education in Ghana.This Reform Proposal also changed the duration of secondary schools, previously of five years duration to four.

The Original Dzobo Reforms stipulated the following: Kindergarten: To begin at age 4 to last 2 years

Primary: to begin at age 6 to last 6 years Junior secondary school : to begin at age 12 to last 3 years ( comprehensive ) Senior Secondary School {Lower}:to begin at age 15 to last 2 years (comprehensive) Senior Secondary School {Upper}:to begin at age17 to last 2 years (Comprehensive)

There has been two Education Reform Committees since Dzobo. There was the Evans Anfom Education Committee ( 1987 ), and 2002-2008 Anamuah- Mensah Education Committee . From 1972 to-date therefore Ghanaian parents and their children, teachers and school administrators, college principals and school headmasters/ headteachers, university vice chancellors and presidents ect. ect,have experienced three or more decades of education reform programs . So what is the justification for the Atta Mills Government to initiate more Education Forums/ Conferences within a year of its administration? Have we exausted all the benefits recommended by the three reform committees? Ghanaians would be accommodating with the announcement by their Government for an All- Political Parties Education Conference. But in fairnesss, the Ghanaian public should demand from their government, as of right, answers to the issues raised below to justify the need for any new education conference /forum/ reform committee: 1. What has been the experiences of the educational practitioners in the classroom during the implementation process of previous reforms to warrant new reform committees, and/ or education forums? 2. What have been the discernible drawbacks, ( empirically documented by research ) in the implementation of the previous reforms to warrant the setting up of a new reform committee. ? 3 What expectations or targetted results suggested by previous reform proposals have not been realised during implementation to necessitate new education reform strategies? 4 In the implementation process , to what degree have previous

reforms benefitted performance?

Ghana

education

and/or

student

5. Did problems of teacher quality, teacher preparedness, and the attendant infracstructural development and teacher development programmes affect reform implementaton? 6. Have reform implementation been accompanied by research based diagnostic assessment of the outcomes envisaged by the reforms? a ) can any curriculum change for example be justified without an empirical research on outcomes of previous curriculum reforms ?

b) has there been adequate research to find out the impact of curriculum change on Rural vrs urban students, public school students vrs private school students ( by comparative analysis ) to find out the reasons behind the sad reality of 50 % of JSS students failing to score the passing mark in the 2008 BECE examinations ( externally assessed by the West African Examinations Council, WASSCE)? c ) how has the overall teacher preparation and preparedness for their tasks in curriculum reform implementation impacted students performance in the classroom ? d) Additionaly, how have the problems of Teacher Education Colleges and Universities ( research funding, Professional training and Development of teachers, provision of infrastructrual facilities such as laboratories and computer clusters). been factored in as an essential arm in the process of education reform implementation at the Basic and Second cycle schools?
The Ghanaian public should be provided answers to the above; and many more related educational issues. The implementation process designed to determine the success or failure of previous reforms may well be addressed before government spend anymore taxpayers money on another Education Reform Committee.

2.

FOR A SOLUTION ? :

APPLY THE OCCAMS RAZOR .Lets have SENIOR SCHOOL JUNIOR SCHOOL Since the labels Junior Secondary Schooland Senior Secondary School were used to describe the last three years of basic School education and the second Cycle education respectively, { thanks to the DZOBO Education reforms, 1972), the force of political power has created an unnecessary problem about the use of labels at the pre- university stage of the education system. This confusion must be resolved for the sake of our children and grandchildren. Political power , in my view, has been misapplied, and the people of Ghana are the losers. Losers because in recent memory, time and taxpayers money are dissipated during the process of political muscle flexing anytime a government of a different political party takes over the reins of government in Ghana. Earlier in this article I have made a suggestion that the Electoral Commisioner devises a mechanism to enable the people of Ghana decide this specific issue in a referendum as part of the 2012 Parliamentary and Presidential elections In the interim it appears the Occams Razor may be applied to give the people of Ghana a deserved respite. By applying the Occams Razor the contentious words Secondary and High will be eliminated . And Ghana will have : JUNIOR SCHOOL as the descriptive label for the last three years of BASIC EDUCATION , and SENIOR SCHOOL as the descriptive label for the SECOND CYCLE EDUCATION.. Let us keep it simple and at the same time functional. Brevity, it is said, is the soul of wit. And In line with this maxim let us call the last three years of Basic School education Junior School and the Second cycle school Senior School. By this re-arrangement the labels become POLITICAL PARTY NEUTRAL with the elimination of Secondary{ NPP} and High(NDC). The principle of Occams Razor states that when you have two

competing theories that make exactly the same prediction, the simpler one is the better. Put another way, if you have two equally likely solutions to a problem, choose the simpler . (credit: Wikipedia: the free encyclopaedia} The above is suggested against a backdrop of the fact that for sometime now Ghana education has been saddled with the problem of which labels to use for the last three years of Basic Education and for its second cycle schools. The NPP led government comes to power and opts for the use of Junior Secondary School/ Senior secondary School, apparently in line with the Dzobo Reform proposals. The NDC - government comes to power and opts for the Junior High School/ Senior High School desriptive labels - consistent with its manifesto for the 2008 Presidential and parliamentary elections, and in step with Military / civilian PNDC/NDC Governments of JJ Rawlings ( 1987- 2000 ). This scenario makes a mockery of what use to apply political power.. Therefore, following from the foregoing, the descriptive labels for the K-12 education for consideration would be as follows: KINDERGARTEN PRIMARY JUNIOR SCHOOL SENIOR SCHOOL

The word Secondary is a derivative from the English word second or level two. Appropriately therefore, it rightly describes the second cycle of the English school system. The Americans began their education system in the New World , two hundred and thirty years ago , and chose the word High in place of Secondary used by their cousins across the Atlantic. We in Ghana in the 21st Century are still unsure which of these words to adopt. And this when there are more pressing issues bedevilling the education system to engage the attention of Government. Or is it , maybe, fanciful to prefer High in place of Secondary because of our oftentimes misguided fascination with things American. . For the information of readers there is no set name or a descriptive label for second cycle education in Scotland, UK.

Ghana Problems in Education

http://www.photius.com/countries/ghana/society/ghana_society_problems_in_educatio~103.html Sources: The Library of Congress Country Studies; CIA World Factbook

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At least two major educational issues faced Ghana in the early 1990s-the effort to shift part of the expense of education onto students, especially in the universities, and the future of the JSS innovation. Since the introduction of the Accelerated Development Plan for Education in 1952, the central government has shouldered much of the financial burden of education. In 1972, for example, about 20.1 percent of the total central government expenditure was spent on education. This figure rose to 25.7 percent in 1989. Compared with Nigeria, where only 4.5 percent and 2.8 percent of the total government expenditure was spent on education in 1972 and 1989, respectively, the Ghana figure was high even among its peers. Efforts by the central government to shift the cost of education onto students, particularly at the university level, have been challenged. But despite the many demonstrations that were organized by the various student representative councils and the National Union of Ghanaian Students, the government resolved in the latter part of the 1980s to make university students pay for their boarding and lodging through loans. This policy, among others, was the cause of the unsettled relationship between university students and the government that characterized the early 1990s. In March 1993, an especially serious confrontation occurred in Accra between university students and police over the proposed charges. Such protests notwithstanding, the Ministry of Education proceeded with the changes for university funding on grounds that they were in line with the nation's Economic Recovery Program introduced in 1983 (see The Economic Recovery Program , ch. 3). The introduction of the JSS system was also problematic. It had been agreed upon after the Dzobo Committee, chaired by N.K. Dzobo of the University of Cape Coast, reported in 1974 that the nation's educational establishment needed overhauling. In fact, this committee afforded education specialists and the public the opportunity to respond to a 1972 Ministry of Education proposal for the introduction of junior secondary schools. Despite the favorable evaluation of the Ministry of Education proposal by the Dzobo Committee, the proposed changes in the structure and content of primary and secondary education were never implemented, perhaps because of the difficult economic situation of the country in the mid-1970s. When the JSS system was implemented in 1987, it was hailed by its supporters as the answer to the country's educational, social, and

economic problems. Detractors, however, condemned it because of the limited time allowed for the development of necessary infrastructure, such as the provision of workshops, before the system went into effect. As a community-sponsored program, the JSS became a source of endless irritation to parents and guardians who had to contribute to building and equipping JSS workshops. There was also the concern that the JSS system would ultimately lead to an unfair distribution of educational resources because wealthier communities were likely to provide better facilities than those in poorer areas. Finally, it was argued that the JSS program did not challenge students enough because, unlike the former Middle School Leaving Certificate Examinations, all students writing the Basic Certificate of Education Examination conducted for the JSS received certificates of participation. The validity of these arguments, as well as the long-term impact of the new structure and content of education on the nation's development, remained to be demonstrated in the early 1990s. Data as of November 1994

NOTE: The information regarding Ghana on this page is re-published from The Library of Congress Country Studies and the CIA World Factbook. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Ghana Problems in Education information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Ghana Problems in Education should be addressed to the Library of Congress and the CIA.

There has been growing concerns about the falling standard of education in the country over the last four decades. Our quest to arrest this turn of events has led to the changing of the system of education in the country in no less than 3 occasions. But the problem is even getting worst. Before the 1970s, the standard of education in the country was the envy of the world since it produced eminent individuals who contributed immensely to the cause of both the continent and the world. After independence, our first leaders, as a result of their foresightedness, realized that no country can succeed in developing its people and the economy without laying a very strong and robust educational foundation. Due to this philosophy, the government at that time under the abled leadership of the most revered President on our continent- Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, laid out the necessary infrastructure needed to produce the human resources that have the faculty of making our country a developed one. And it is very sad that after his overthrow in 1966, our motherland has lacked such an iconic leader. A country without a solid educational foundation can never see the light of day in terms of sustainable development. I think it is high time we realized that the backbone of our economy is not agriculture or private sector development as some people would want us believe, but education. Have we ever asked ourselves why we are still living in poverty and always shamelessly asking for alms even in the midst of plenty? We have everything in Ghana, but efficient education. With the right education system in place, only the sky would be our limit. As a result of the dwindling fortunes of the standard of education in the country, concerned people and various stakeholders in the country have weighed in to produce ideas about how we can

overcome this misfortune that has befallen us for quite a long time now. Due to the egregious nature of the situation, Mr. Opoku- a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana once bemoaned that we are producing illiterate graduates in the country (www.peacefmonline.com, 2007). That is why we must act, but sensibly and fast. Although opinions have varied, I believe that in the midst of variations come solutions if our discourses are not marred by political considerations, but have the collective good of the people as its design. For me the most interesting scenario about how to fix our broken educational system is the political tussle going on between the ruling government and the erstwhile government about how to fix the problem. Whilst supporters of the new educational system introduced by the former administration argue that as a result of the fallen standard of education in the country which could be attributed to certain constraints and impediments that have become endemic, there was the need to opt for the new reforms, the critics on the other hand hold the view that the newest reforms is superfluous and that we have to revert to the old system. They argue that instead of increasing the duration of schooling, especially at the senior high school level, there is the need to address the issue holistically- addressing the stymies that have contributed to the declining standard of education. Looking at both these arguments it appears these two antagonists have acquiesced on the fundamental issues- the inherent challenges that have confronted the system over the years, but do not agree over the duration of schooling at the senior high school level. And that is the reason why for my money the organization of fora, symposia, seminars, etc., to look into the efficacy and efficiency of the new system with the ultimate design of abrogating it is a red herring. If the 4 years at the senior high level were to be diminished to 3 years, we revert to the previous system. The difference of a year should not lead to the splitting of hairs. We can diminish the duration at the senior high level from 4 to 3 years, but if we do not address the real problems, which have succeeded in sending our educational system to its knees, we are going to come back to square one. And strangely our politicians pretend as if they are oblivious of the reasons that have led to the quasi destruction of our hitherto cherished educational system. For me, the hindrances and challenges are so glaring that any serious government should not waste our scarce resources in the organization of programs to see into the merits or demerits of the current system. The problem is not the system, but rather our attitude to education in the country. It is not about the structure or form, instead the resources that we put into it. If you would permit me, I would like to highlight some of the challenges which are so blatant that we cannot play the ostrich. First of all is the unattractiveness of the teaching profession- It is an undeniable fact that the remuneration of teachers around the globe is meager as juxtaposed with other professions, but on our continent it is so egregious. We always hide behind the axiom the reward of teachers is in heaven to deny them what they rightfully deserve. And the worst affected are the trained teachers who accept postings to the hinterlands. They live on the same salary as their colleagues who were lucky to have been stationed in the cities and towns. But they are disadvantaged because they live in environments where there are lack of social amenities and the opportunities to access information that can enhance their lives. These teachers who are disgruntled either quit and join seemingly better professions or leave the country to seek greener pastures abroad. And our politicians know this for real.

Second is the exclusion of the rural folks- Why do most teachers always decline postings to rural communities? I am very proud that together with most of my mates from Wesley College (Wesco1995) we accepted postings to some of the most deprived communities in the country. But where are we now? Most of us have either quit the job, especially at the basic level which is very crucial in terms of enduring development in the pupils or teaching in the cities and towns where at least apart from our regular incomes can also do additional things to supplement our income. After all, in this day and age only few people live on a single job if they want to even eke out an average living for themselves. If our governments and policy makers think about the educational success of these unlucky brothers and sisters of ours who live in the remote parts of the country, what prevent them from putting in measures that would let teachers stay for at least a few years. The potentials of majority of these pupils are in most cases buried and we are bickering about the structure of education. How many of our rural folks contribute to the development- education, economic, sports, political, etc. etc. of our country? Yet there are abundant talents and potentials there!! So implicitly these people are left behind. Third is the focus of teaching and learning- The epicenter of our teaching and learning have been over the years focused on rote learning- baba instead of role learning, creativity, and innovation. Mostly, the Ghanaian student learns not to understand the process and underlying principles that they are taught, but rather the end product- the good grades that they want, which is not bad. But if we are able to figure out the fundamentals of the knowledge we are seeking, it helps us to be creative and innovative. What have we achieved with all our As, first classes, second class uppers, inter alia? Certainly not much, I guess. Finally, are the problems of examination malpractices, lack of supervision, computer illiteracy, information technology deficiency, and countless more. It therefore stands to reason that the dismal performance of our students could not lie in the system of education we are practicing, but rather our lackadaisical attitude towards addressing the challenges that have contributed to the educational mess we have been witnessing in the country for about half a century now. When the hitches explained above are dealt with appropriately, we would be reaping the benefits of a sound and efficient educational system. What we are doing at present- soliciting views and ideas in order for us to change the current system which has been in operation for barely a year, amount to putting the cart before the horse. The solutions we are seeking are not found on the moon; they are with us. Be on the lookout for some of the recommendations that might help in ameliorating the standard of education in the country that has taken a nose dive for a long time now in my next write up, God willing. God bless Ghana!!

Achieving Universal Primary Education in Ghana by 2015: A Reality or Dream? The Government of Ghana has tried in various ways to show her commitment towards the achievement of Universal Primary Education (MDG 2) by ensuring that all children of primary school-age enroll and complete by 2015. The government has shown this commitment through policy directives and interventions like the Education Strategy Plan (ESP) for 2003-2015, the Growth Poverty Reduction Strategy, the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education Programme and the 1992 Constitution of Ghana. Strategies adopted to operationalise the policies include the introduction of the Capitation Grant (School Fee Abolition), expansion of Early Childhood Development services, promotion of measures to improve Gender Parity in primary schools, and the introduction of Nutrition and School Feeding programmes, These measures have led to improvement in various key indicators in education in recent years, notably, Gross Enrollment Rates, Gender Parity Index, Net Enrolment Rate and Net Admission Rate. In spite of increased enrolments rates, enrolment at primary level has not been increasing Sufficiently to meet the goal of Universal Primary Completion by 2015. Major challenges facing the sector include: Gross inadequacy of teachers in some places of the country Insufficiency of some school infrastructure (classrooms, sanitary facilities, etc) in some places in the country. Unfavorable socio-economic and cultural factors Geographically hard to reach areas, hard to reach children Low enrolment of children with disabilities, etc These challenges call for special approaches if Universal Primary Completion (UPC) is to be Attained by 2015.

There is, therefore, the need to adopt a programme that is flexible and adaptive and can reach large numbers of children in hard to reach areas as well as children living in underserved areas. Complementary education programmes can better serve the most disadvantaged and/or remote areas. Evidence from a number of developing countries such as Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, Bangladesh, Ethiopia as well as some pilot projects in Ghana show that complementary basic education can be used to address a number of problems in education as well as reach children who would otherwise not be reached by the formal system. It is expected that such an exercise will address challenges related to: Areas of very low population Long distance to school Over-aged out-of-school children, especially girls, and, High opportunity cost of education, especially for girls A complementary education programme appears able to supplement efforts made through the formal school system. For it to be successful, however, it will require strong government commitment, strategic vision and policy framework, effective partnerships, and reallocation of existing resources or mobilisation of additional resources. 1. Introduction The Government of Ghana committed itself to the achievement of Universal Primary Education (MDG 2) by ensuring that by 2015 children everywhere, boys and girls alike will be able to complete a full course of primary schooling. The governments commitment towards achieving the educational goals is reflected in several policy frameworks and reports. In May 2003, the Ministry of Education and Sports came out with the Education Strategy Plan (ESP) for 2003-2015. The ESP was informed by many documents and policy frameworks, especially the Education for All goals, the Millennium Development Goals and the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy.

The ESP serves as the framework by which Ghana meets its commitments to achieve the MDGs in education: Gender Parity by 2005 and Universal Primary Completion by 2015. Within the ESP primary education is designated as a sector priority and various measures and decisions have been taken by the Government to accelerate its efforts in achieving MDG 2 by 2015. Some of the measures taken include the institution of the capitation grant to all public basic schools, inclusion of pre-school education (4 to 5 years old) as part of compulsory basic education, the introduction of a school feeding program, special programs to bridge the gender gap in access to education and targeted programs to improve access in underserved areas. All these efforts have resulted in good progress in the education sector, especially in the past year. For example primary school enrolment has increased significantly as a result of the capitation grants and the removal of all remaining fees and levies. Progress has also been made toward achieving gender parity through a significant increase in girls enrolment. The central focus in this paper is whether these positive trends mean that Ghana will achieve the Millennium Development Goal 2 by 2015. Is Ghana is on track to achieve and sustain Universal Access to Quality Primary Education by 2015? In this paper a comprehensive overview of the various policy frameworks and strategies, like the GPRS II, ESP and the Education White Paper, will be provided. The paper will provide an analysis of the data and trends in the education sector, like the enrolment ratios, transition rates, retention in school and completion rates and the gender and geographic disparities. The paper will look at the various policy options taken so far and the implications of it, like for example the capitation grant and the results it has achieved so far. Are there possible barriers attaining MDG2 and if so are there any alternative policy options, recommendations for Ghana to ensure MDG2

will be achieved by 2015. 2. Policy framework Ghana has since 1951, and especially after independence in 1957, made significant strides in its education system. The system, as it is now, is the result of major policy initiatives in education adopted by both the present and past governments. Some of the laws, policy documents and reports, like the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education Programme (FCUBE) (1996) have helped in meeting the educational needs and aspirations of the people. Article 38 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana requires Government to provide access to Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education and depending on resource availability, to Senior Secondary, Technical and Tertiary education and life-long learning. In recent times, the governments commitment towards achieving her educational goals has been expressed in the following policy frameworks and reports: 1. Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy 2002 2004 (GPRS I, February 2002) 2. Education Sector Policy Review Report (ESPRR, August 2002) 3. Education Sector Review (ESR, October 2002) and the Governments White Paper on the report (2004). 4. Meeting the Challenges of Education in the 21st Century. (The report of the Presidents Commission on Review of Education Reforms in Ghana, ERRC, October 2002). 5. Education for All (EFA, UNESCO, Dakar, 2000) international paper 6. The Education Strategic Plan (ESP) covering 2003-2015 In 2006 Ghana started the implementation of its second Growth Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS II). The GPRS II is very much focused on developing Ghana to the status of a middle-income country by 2015. Developing its human resources is one of the three main thematic areas of the GPRS II, emphasizing the creation of competent manpower for development of the country whereby education obviously plays an important role.

The GPRS II not only aims to meet the MDG 2 goal but also to strengthen the quality in basic education, improve quality and efficiency in the delivery of education service and bridging the gender gap in access to education. The Education Strategic Plan (ESP) that came out in 2003 and is focusing on the period 20032015, is based on the Poverty Reduction Strategy and operationalises within the framework of a sector wide approach (SWAP) for education, which in Ghana is partly situated within the Multi-Donor Budget Support (MDBS) framework. The ESP provides the framework and roadmap for achieving the education related MDGs. The strategic framework of the Education Strategic Plan 2003-2015 is based around four focus areas: Equitable Access to Education, Quality of Education, Educational Management and Science, Technology and Technical and Vocational education (TVET). The ESP has ten policy goals like increasing access to and participation in education and training, improving the quality of teaching and learning for enhanced pupil/student achievement, promoting good health and environmental sanitation in schools and institutions and others. In 2004, the Government of Ghana came out with a White Paper on Education Reform. The White Paper Reform outlines a portfolio of reforms and objectives spanning the entire education sector, which are to be implemented from 2007 and have major targets identified for 2015 and 2020. The key objectives of the White Paper Reform are twofold. First and foremost to build upon the ESP commitments and ensure that all children are provided with the foundation of high quality free basic education. Secondly to ensure that second cycle education is more inclusive and appropriate to the needs of young people and the demands in the Ghanaian economy. .To be continued. ShareThis Comments are closed.