Ghana's Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Adutwum, has dismissed claims suggesting a decline in standards within the country's education system, especially at the senior high school level.
While addressing concerns about falling standards due to the rapid increase in enrollment resulting from the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, Dr. Adutwum explained that Ghana's education system has defied global norms.
Contrary to the usual scenario where increased enrollment leads to diminished learning outcomes, Ghana has experienced what the Education Minister described as “Ghanaian magic.” He attributed this unique situation to the country's surplus supply of highly skilled teachers and its effective deployment.
According to Dr Adutwum, Ghana stands out as one of the few countries globally with an excess of qualified teachers available for deployment.
This surplus has played a crucial role in maintaining and even improving learning outcomes despite the substantial increase in student enrollment.
The implementation of the Free SHS policy has contributed to a positive shift in the education ecosystem. The Minister highlighted the elimination of financial barriers, allowing students to promptly attend school without delays related to fee payment.
This, in turn, has increased the time spent on learning tasks, leading to improved educational outcomes.
Dr. Adutwum emphasized that the Ghanaian education system's success in maintaining standards amidst increased enrollment is a testament to the country's unique circumstances and effective policies, challenging the notion that standards must inevitably fall under such circumstances.
