The Ghana Education Service (GES) is yet to settle on the requisite books needed for the new basic school curriculum.
Although it is just a week to the start of the academic year, the Head of Public Relations of the GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo told JoyNews her outfit is still working with the National Council for Curriculum Assessment (NaCCA) to procure textbooks.
She added that despite the books not being available, the Service has trained teachers on how to use it.
The New Curriculum
The new education curriculum was launched by GES in April this year as part of ongoing reforms in the sector.
Speaking in glowing terms of the new curriculum for primary schools, the Director-General of the Service, Prof. Opoku-Amankwa said the reform is in line with international best practice, which requires a review every five years.
“A key feature of the new curriculum is the introduction of a national assessment examination at classes two, four and six,” he said
This will replace the status quo where students are assessed nationally during the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The existing curriculum has been faulted for its great emphasis on preparing learners just to pass examinations rather than to actually acquire knowledge.
“Other challenges in the existing curriculum include content overload and an inability of the assessment system, without sufficient data, to help fashion out improvement in teaching and learning.
“Indeed the current landscape in terms of learning outcomes is not encouraging,” Opoku Amankwa told the press.
Training on the curriculum
Currently, 150 Master Trainer’s selected from the GES, NaCCA, National Inspectorate Board, National Teaching Council, Public Colleges of Education, Universities among other stakeholders are being oriented on the curriculum in their respective subjects.
The training has several modules including the rationale for revising the school curriculum and the new changes in the curriculum, Pedagogy – creative approaches for learner-centred teaching approach among others.
According to Executive Secretary of NaCCA, Dr Prince Hamid Armah, Master Trainer’s will be taken through Jolly phonics, global competence and Assessment for learners.