GNAT hails reforms of basic education

General News on Friday, April 12, 2019

Source: 3news.com

2019-04-12

The National Association of Teachers of Ghana (GNAT) welcomed the introduction of a new basic curriculum as part of ongoing reforms in the education sector , which will come into effect from the 2019/2020 academic year.

GNAT is particularly excited about the introduction of history as a subject, claiming that it will contribute to the development of the nation.

GNAT adds that national badessments of primary cycles 2 to 6, designed to monitor children's performance, is another good reform of the education sector.

Professor Kwasi Opoku-Amankwa, Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), launched the new basic program on Thursday 11 April as part of the ongoing reforms.

According to the reforms, the number of learning areas in the KG should be reduced from seven to four, integrated by themes. However, these will be treated with more depth.

In primary and secondary, the number of subjects remains the same.

However, there will be fewer concepts and a deeper treatment of the concept in each subject. In addition, the focus is more on literacy and numeracy.

The introduction of a standards-based curriculum means that at each stage of the school, students must demonstrate an understanding and mastery of the knowledge and skills they are expected to learn as they develop. he progresses in his studies.

National badessments will be conducted at the P2, P4 and P6 levels to ensure that children's performance is monitored.

In addition, the history of Ghana will be mandatory for every child from kindergarten to grade 6 and religious and moral education will be a subject in its own right.

Physical education will also be a subject in its own right and will be practically taught, while French will be introduced at the end of primary school.

In an interview with Yen Sempa on Onua FM hosted by Bright Kwasi Asempa on Friday, GNAT Secretary General David Ofori Acheampong said: "We have complained a lot about the fact that there are too many topics to take into account. age of children ".

Mandatory history

GNAT's secretary said the introduction of History (Ghana) mandatory for every child from P1 to P6 is a good thing.

"The reintroduction of history is a good thing because all over the world, the nations that have progressed have studied the history of this country but we have thrown it," he said.

National badessments

Mr. Ofori Acheampong said that another good thing about the reform was the national badessments of P2 to P6, intended to monitor the performance of children.

"The national badessment for primary schools is also good because it is a new program. It should therefore be possible to evaluate the system to ensure progress, "he said.

New uniforms

He added that the introduction of the new uniform "will be a motivator for the student, as children will wear the same dress throughout the period of their studies".

"We do not see the difference between the lower primary and the higher primary, so it has its positive side. The children will know that I will change clbad and that I will not wear this dress anymore, "he explained.