Manifesto watch: NDC to implement ‘results-oriented’ educational programmes
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) considers education to be the bedrock of any nation which aims to rise above poverty and enhance the well-being of its citizens.
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In the party’s 2016 manifesto, titled, “Changing Lives, Transforming Ghana’’, the party has promised to continue its projects and also implement other “results-oriented” educational programmes that will position Ghana to attain its development goals.
The programmes will cover basic, secondary and tertiary levels.
Over the past four years, the party has implemented many educational projects that sought to empower the youth to acquire the needed skills to pursue their future progression.
Among them were the commencement of the construction of 200 community day senior high schools (SHSs), expansion of the school-feeding programme, delivery of free school uniforms, free exercise books and free sandals for schoolchildren.
Basic level
Under the basic level, the party intends to strengthen regulation on the establishment of pre-schools to meet the required standards and best practices in early childhood care and development.
The party will also review and implement the national policy on ‘Early Childhood Care and Development’ and broaden parental participation in the implementation of the policy.
In order to achieve that the NDC has promised to establish special schools in designated colleges of education to train teachers solely for Early Childhood Care and Development.
Apart from that, the party plans to make Information and Communications Technology (ICT) education more vibrant by training more teachers in the subject.
“ We will continue the supply of computers to basic schools and establish ICT laboratories for selected schools; work with the Ghana Education Service to reintroduce civic education (including introduction to the Constitution of Ghana) into the basic school curricula,” the party’s manifesto stated.
Making SHS accessible to all
One of the major policies that has been outlined is the expansion of the progressive free SHS programme to cover boarding students, with emphasis on needy students.
That, the party stated in the manifesto, was key to making SHS education accessible to all Ghanaians.
In addition, the NDC has pledged to renovate and expand the facilities in existing SHSs to increase capacity for admitting more qualified JHS graduates.
The party also says it will review the Computerised School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS) to make it more effective and equitable.
Tertiary education to improve
The party, in a move to make tertiary education more effective, says it will amend the GETFund Act to extend support to private tertiary institutions, particularly those engaged in science and engineering training.
Under Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the party has promised to establish a new college of education as an instructor training college for TVET at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.