Awineyesema Abiire, a member of the Department of Accounting and Finance at Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), has expressed keen anticipation for the outcomes of the ongoing national education forum. He noted that while past leaders, such as Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, took steps to bridge the educational gap between northern and southern Ghana, subsequent governments have made little progress in this regard.
“I am observing to see what will come out of this forum. It was only Nkrumah who made steps. The rest of the governments that followed—nothing has been done,” he remarked.
He emphasized that successful reforms require a thorough understanding of the country’s context, stressing that educational programs should be tailored to reflect the specific needs and realities of each region. For example, he argued that basic schools in the Upper East Region should not be following the exact same curriculum as those in the Central Region, as this undermines the importance of contextual relevance.
“When it comes to reforms, they must be driven by four major factors in any country seeking development. One of these is context—course content and learning areas should reflect the realities of Ghanaians and our geographical conditions. It should not be the case that basic schools in the Upper East Region follow the same core subjects as basic schools in the Central Region. That is a failing system,” he explained.
Mr. Abiire stressed the importance of local ownership in the reform process, advocating for Ghanaian professors and teachers to spearhead educational change. He argued that the country’s educational challenges must be solved using homegrown expertise rather than foreign models that may not align with Ghana’s unique context. Additionally, he called for reforms to be backed by clear and measurable indicators, which would allow progress to be assessed and adjustments made where necessary.
He further warned that a lack of strategy in the country’s education reform efforts could lead to failure, negatively impacting not just the education system but the entire nation.
“An education reform that lacks strategy is crucified. That means the entire country is crucified,” he asserted.
Mr. Abiire also expressed the expectation that sufficient resources would be allocated to basic education, stressing that it is unconstitutional to prioritize funding for tertiary students while neglecting foundational levels where young pupils struggle with inadequate classroom infrastructure.
“It is unconstitutional to think of paying the academic fees of tertiary students while pupils in basic one, two, and three are lying on their bellies to write,” he emphasized.
Regarding the 20% allowance for teachers in rural areas, he suggested that the allowance should be consolidated and factored into pension calculations to ensure long-term benefits for these teachers. He also voiced concerns over foreign aid and intervention in Ghana’s education reform process, asserting that the country should not be made to feel dependent on external support to improve its education system.
“I also expect that this reform will not have anything to do with foreign aid or foreign intervention,” he added.
Source: A1Radioonline.Com | 101.1MHz | Gifty Eyram Kudiabor | Bolgatanga
