The Director-General of the Institute of Education Planning and Administration (IEPA), University of Cape Coast (UCC), Dr Michael Boakye-Yiadom, has called for the provision of funding at the sub-national level in the implementation of key educational reforms in the country.
He said the implementation of the nation’s education reforms under the Education Strategic Plan (ESP 2018-2030) at the regions and districts was being affected negatively owing to funding challenges.
He indicated that, even though at the national level funding was not an issue, it was a major challenge at the regional and district levels thereby hindering effective operations.
Dr Boakye-Yiadom made the call at the presentation of research findings on educational reforms organised by the IEPA for regional and district education officials and heads of educational institutions at Cape Coast.
The programme was to disseminate the findings of the country specific aspect of the research conducted by the IEPA in collaboration with UNESCO, University of Toronto, Oxford University among other institutions.
The reforms approved by cabinet in November 2018, seeks to transform teaching and learning and improve outcomes, especially at the pre-tertiary levels.
It is focused on improved learning outcomes, enhanced accountability and equity at all levels of the education sector.
Some of the reforms under the policy are in the area of Pre-Tertiary Curriculum, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), ICT in Education and Secondary Education.
Dr Boakye-Yiadom further indicated that, the research established that, there were some levels of mistrust at the regional and district levels during the implementation of the initiative.
That, he said has the potential to affect the gains made in the implementation of the various reforms.
He explained that even though there was some collaboration among key agencies at the national level, the same could not be said at the regional and district levels.
The agencies at the national level, he explained, comprised the National Teaching Council (NTC), Ghana Educational Service (GES), National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) and National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) among others.
Dr Boakye-Yiadom indicated that, the research established a high level of collaboration among the various agencies under the Ministry of Education at the national level, saying, “there is a high level of support of the reforms embarked by the government at the national level”.
In his presentation, Prof. Hope Nudzor, Director of Research, Innovation and Outreach at the Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (IEPA), explained that, the research was conducted on four continents as part of the global research partnership.
He indicated that, a number of governments across these continents were facing difficulties in implementing educational reforms in their countries.
The research, he explained, was conducted in countries such as Pakistan, Ghana, Jordan and Tanzania.
Prof. Nudzor further underscored the need for the adoption of delivery approaches to the implementation of educational reforms by the various governments due to its role in improving the expected outcomes.
FROM DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, CAPE COAST
