The Director General of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NACCA), Prof. Edward Appiah, has hinted that the nation’s Education Strategic Plan (ESP 2018-2030), is gradually transforming the nation’s education.
He stated that the ESP is not only leading to the training of 21st-century skills for students but also shaping the teaching and learning sectors at all levels of education in the country.
Briefing the media in Accra, Prof. Appiah mentioned one of the areas benefiting from the ESP 2018-2030 was the massive improvement in literacy which was two per cent in 2016 but has improved to 38 per cent proficient in 2022.
National Assessment
He explained that an Early Grade Reading Assessment (EGRA) assessment conducted by the government in 2016 indicated that only 2 per cent of primary two pupils in the country could read and write but the National Standardized Test 2022 showed that the record had improved to 38 per cent.
This, he attributed to prudent initiatives put in place as part of the roadmap from the ESP 2018-2030 as a remedy to challenges confronting reading at the basic level of education in the country.
Prof. Appiah also mentioned that the ESP 2018-2030 led to reforms like the National Pre-tertiary Assessment Framework, National Pre-Tertiary Curriculum Framework that led to the development of the Standard Based Curriculum for Primary Schools, Common Core Curriculum for Junior High Schools and the introduction of National Standardized Test among others.
All these which are operationalized are leading to improvement in the education sector which in the long run improve the nation’s transformation.
Critical Collaboration
He was particularly happy with the collaboration between the various agencies and institutions supporting the Education Ministry to ensure that the nation’s education becomes the first port of call in the African continent.
Commendation
The Director General commended the President for his personal interest in the development of the education sector citing the huge investment being made by the government.
He also praised the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum for his effort, direction and good leadership which has brought about a massive change in the sector and shaped the future fortunes of the nation.
Prof. Appiah appealed to players in the nation’s creative art sector to help ensure the proper transfer of moral values to the youth through their songs, movies and other literary works since such mediums help in the transmission of ideas to people easily.
Social media
He explained that the education sector keeps shaping the lives of pupils and students through schooling, that to him was not enough and called for all and sundry to contribute their quota towards the shaping of the minds of the people, especially the youth most of whom were learning many things from social media now.
The Director indicated that social media was not a bad platform but some of the things rotating there were not good towards national development and patriotism. He appealed to the youth to desist from focusing on and making social media their source of information since there is not any good censorship on social media.
By Felix Baidoo
