I have sought a definite solution from President Akufo-Addo and his government on when the obnoxious double tract procedure will end to no avail.
Just a couple times in the past, the Minister for Education and learning, Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh made a statement on the condition of schooling in Ghana in Parliament.
I experienced hoped that the concern of when the obnoxious double tract method would conclusion would have been resolved.
Fairly, he manufactured all varieties of promises, some blatantly phony, in his try to paint a achievement tale beneath his observe as Minister for Education.
For instance, the Minister claimed among others that the NDC abolished the E-book and Exploration allowance underneath President John Dramani Mahama as President and Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang as Minister for Training.
I am selected that the Minister for Education presented his 18 page assertion titled “EDUCATION AND Trainer REFORMS” in response to John Dramani Mahama buying Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, an accomplished educationist and pretty profitable Minister for Schooling beneath the previous NDC government as his managing mate.
And, the emphatic statement by the NDC flagbearer on his intent to abolish the obnoxious double tract procedure in his first 12 months in business.
John Dramani Mahama has made it crystal distinct that he will tackle/solve the mosaic of troubles bedevilling the Totally free Senior Significant School programme to assure that it superior serves Ghana as a total, and instructors and learners in certain.
John Dramani Mahama and Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang have outlined a amount of measures they will undertake to strengthen the FSHS when sworn into workplace on January 7th, 2021.
It is worthy of reminding ourselves that in the 2nd 12 months of the FSHS programme, and as a final result of inadequate prepation, primarily, the deficiency of area in our educational facilities, the Akufo-Addo Government launched the infamous, obnoxious, change process in any other case named the “Double Track”.
On the other hand, stakeholders agree that the double-keep track of procedure, an ad-hoc evaluate, have to conclusion as quickly as achievable, due to the fact it dims efficient teaching and understanding:
a) College students invest equal weeks at school and the exact size of time at home
b) A Semester Programme that makes it possible for Learners to go on extensive vacations following shelling out a several times in faculty
c) A haphazard calendar, exactly where often the reopening day for a single track is hurriedly postponed to the drawback of options put in position by mom and dad and their wards
d) Huge and undue tension on non-educating team, primarily Kitchen staff, and Administrative team, Headmasters, Senior Housemasters and Housemasters, who hardly go on any holiday vacation, between some others.
However, government is yet to adequately offer the vital infrastructure, and logistics critically wanted to provide an conclude to the double tract method.
For example, out of an earlier introduced 804 structures, and later on revised to 822 as per an remedy by the Minister for Schooling to my query *711 in Parliament, composed of classroom blocks, dining halls and dormitories among some others, 236 experienced been accomplished as at June 2nd, 2020.
The sluggish rate in working with the infrastructure deficit in our faculties advise a deficiency of seriousness in ending the double track and could account for the failure by the Akufo-Addo authorities to give particular timelines on when they would end the frustrating double observe technique.
It is hence not stunning to lots of observers that in the 18 paged assertion of the Minister no space was made for when the Akufo-Addo government will stop the obnoxious double-monitor system.
For the avoidance of question, President Akufo-Addo and his governing administration have given contradictory and ambiguous timelines on when they intend to wean off the 381 of the 721 SHS now applying the double-observe procedure as at August 5th, 2020.
The absence of certainty is amply demonstrated by general public pronouncements by the President, the Vice President, and his Ministers, on how very long Ghanaian students, teachers, and moms and dads will endure the double-track procedure.
Below are the contradictory and ambiguous timelines, which can only recommend the lack of a distinct plan on how to stop the double-monitor technique:
1) President Akufo-Addo in the course of an job interview on a Kumasi primarily based radio station earlier this month claimed in reaction to a problem that by 2024, double-observe would conclusion
2) Deputy Minister for Schooling, Hon. Yaw Adutum only a several times ago in answering a dilemma I requested on the ground of Parliament on when the double-keep track of process will close, mentioned in five to seven a long time.
3) Hon. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Instruction, someplace final calendar year (2019), indicated that the double-track would stop in six years to appear.
4) Vice President, Dr. Mahamood Bawumia very last 12 months also reported that the plan of double track would close shortly. How quickly, no a single knows.
With the inconsistencies in Government’s personal general public pronouncements as observed above, Ghanaians cannot count on this Akufo-Addo Govt to end the double-observe procedure.
Plainly, there is no definite policy target in ending the double tract whenever soon by the recent Governing administration.
In contrast to President Akufo-Addo and his NPP, the NDC, by way of its flagbearer and Leader, John Dramani Mahama, has furnished an emphatic and definite timeline to finish the double-track offered the possibility as President of Ghana.
John Dramani Mahama commits to ending the process in his initial calendar year by completing the deserted Local community Working day Senior Significant Colleges doted throughout the region and by bringing up people however to commence to total his eyesight of offering 200 brand new universities, a vision that was under building right until he lost the 2016 elections.
He further commits to enhance the infrastructure wants in current faculties to contain the numbers.
John Mahama will abolish the dreaded double-monitor procedure of secondary education by an crisis and enormous infrastructure travel.
This will make sure a conducive setting and one particular-observe qualitative learning knowledge for SHS students.
John Mahama and the NDC have finished it ahead of and can be trusted.
This was done prior to in the calendar year 2009 when thenPresident John Evans Atta Mills of blessed memory took place of work with John Dramani Mahama as his Vice President.
At the time, the 4 years Senior Higher Faculty policy executed by the Kufour administration was at its ultimate phase with no any serious initiatives at containing the college students for the more 12 months they are predicted to shell out in Senior Higher Faculties.
The country noticed the tricky do the job exerted throughout the country in our a variety of Senior Large Educational facilities in the setting up of added eating halls, dormitories, school rooms, assembly halls among the other individuals.
Ghana’s schooling is on the brink and requires serious vision and emphasis to spot it on the proper track.
I have no doubt by any means, that the John Dramani Mahama Mahama and Jean Opoku-Agyemang an completed educationist, would convey back again this glory.
Under his phrase as President and hers as Minister of Education and learning, Ghana recorded its very best Fundamental Education and learning Certificate Examination (B.E.C.E.) results and emerged very best in West Africa.
Below him and her, the region recorded its best WASSCE outcomes and emerged also as ideal in West Africa. With these observe records, Ghana can have confidence in its education and learning in protected pair of fingers.
About the writer Dr. Clement Apaak, M.P, Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament
