We need a radical and revolutionary review of educational system - Palmer Buckle

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Cape Coast, Most Rev Gabriel Palmer Buckle has called for a non-partisan, radical and revolutionary review of our educational system and its content to ensure products were useful to the nation’s socio-economic agenda and future aspirations.

He further called for an assessment of the competence of the nation’s teaching force and how they understand what skills today’s world demands of them and their pupils and students.

“I believe this is not the time to indulge in lamentations or seeking to blame someone else. It is just high time we took the bull by the horns, firmly and dispassionately,” he said adding that “our times call for re-tooling our educational system delivery.”

73 years

Most Rev Palmer Buckle was speaking at the 73rd Speech and Prize Giving day of the Holy Child School in Cape Coast over the weekend.

It was on the theme "Enhancing a Holistic Approach to the Education of the Girl child.

He said he was happy there had been a call for the country to take a good second look at our education delivery, its set up goals and to question the outcomes of our formation programmes in the past few weeks.

“Like the legendary Rip van Winkle, I guess we are now waking up from our deep slumber (not to say stupor) and self-complacency,” he stated.

No excellence drive

Most Rev Palmer Buckle noted that our educational system was not producing in our students and graduates the needed drive for excellence in every endeavor be it academic, scientific, technological, industrial, ethical or moral, social or cultural and physical among others.

He said “the dearth for the drive for excellence in our graduates is an indictment on all of us who are stakeholders and even shareholders and co-operators or collaborators in the education enterprise in Ghana.”

He urged the students not to be satisfied but to strive for higher heights to be able to contribute to their families and society.

The Deputy Minister for Energy, Dr Mohammed Amin Adam who was the guest of honour for the occasion said the government was committed to ensuring that poverty did not deprive young Ghanaians of the right to education.

He said the free Senior High School policy and the increase in the capitation grant were some of the policies to ensure universal access to education.

He commended the school for effort at adopting renewable energy saying it was the way to go to ensure judicious expenditure on energy use and sustainable supply.

He said a mix in the energy generation was needed to ensure security and sustainability in the country’s energy supply and to achieve universal access target.

He said the ministry was targeting rooftop solar system for public buildings including for schools, hospitals, security facilities and all other public facilities to reduce the financial burden on government.

Successes and challenges

The Headmistress of the School, Rev Sr Josephine Anto said the school continued to make meaning strides in the academics and in other extra curricula activities.

She called for the completion of rehabilitation and expansion works started three years ago on the schools dining hall and the upgrading of the school’s science laboratory multipurpose building.

Rev Sr Anto also called for more staff bungalows and a means of transport.

The Executive Director of the National Road Safety Commission and an old student. Madam May Obiri Yeboah who was the guest speaker called on school authorities to teach human values and social skills while encouraging creativity.
The 1994/1996 year group with support from other year groups handed over a 550,000 solar electrification project to the school.