New education curricula didn’t have our input – NAGRAT

Members of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) say they have been excluded from discussions on the new curricula to be introduced at the basic education level.

According to the Association, their input was not sought prior to the formulation of the new policy which comes into effect in the 2019/2020 academic year.

President Nana Akufo-Addo announced in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Parliament Thursday, February 21, that all was set for the introduction of the new standards-based curriculum to be rolled out from kindergarten to primary schools.

This curriculum which he noted has been drawn upon the best practices, has at the heart, Mathematics, Science, Reading, Writing and Creativity.

“It, therefore, warms my heart that we are now able to say that education in the public sector is free from Kindergarten to Senior High School, and, that this year, legislation would be passed to redefine basic education to include Senior High School,” he said.

But speaking on Newsnight on Joy FM, Vice President of NAGRAT, Jacob Anaba said although they knew about discussions held by the Education Ministry and the Ghana Education Service purposed on reviewing the curricula, they were never invited to such discussions.

“Now you have gathered a number of [politically biased] people to put together documents on education reforms…You have designed something that didn’t have our input and now you are calling us for our support for the policy,” the displeased union leader told News anchor, Emefa Apawu.

Mr. Anaba noted that for the policy to succeed, there are a number of issues that in the view of NAGRAT needed to be addressed including infrastructure. It should not just be for the purpose of politics, he added.

He also indicated some reservation NAGRAT has about how some of the subjects have been combined but said the association will make public, its position about that in due course.

“If you move outside the main streets [of Accra and Kumasi]…you will come face-to-face with the realities on the ground. So we need to ensure that we have our base right, we know our direction and [we] move forward,” he said.

Source: Myjoyonline