Education-News Consult

As the 2024 election drawa nearer, the team at the Education-News Consult has outlined the 2024 Education Sector Manifesto on behalf of non state actors such as students, parents, teachers, private schools and others. In this post, we outline 2024 Education Sector Manifesto.

All serious political parties that are dedicated to the education outcomes of this nation are challenged to consider these issues critically before releasing their manifestos on education. The content of this 2024 Education Sector Manifesto summarizes the aspirations of education stakeholders.

The 15 Education Sector Manifesto Demands for Election 2024 also come with suggested actionable suggestions on what can be done to implement the ideas to create meaningful jobs for the youth while helping to improve education outcomes in pre-tertiary schools, among others.

These 15 Education Sector Manifesto Demands for Election 2024 can be summarized as empowering Ghana’s education system through targeted reforms, including infrastructure development, teacher professional growth, equitable recruitment, and enhanced quality in public schools, while creating jobs for the youth and ensuring a sustainable future for all.

15 Education Sector Manifesto Demands For Election 2024

1. A government that takes pragmatic and solution-driven steps to develop and build schools in the hinterlands and provide befitting structures.
2. A government that focusses on respectful teacher motivation and better income for educators in the education sector will drive improved teacher performance and dedication to duty.
3. Improve on Free SHS and deal with the current self-imposed and annoying challenges of the policy, such as poor nutrient-based meals, inadequate infrastructure, and the eradication of the double-track system, no matter the name given to it.
4. Creating an enabling environment where teachers’ professional development is made truly free with the belief that the professional development of the teacher benefits the government and the learners of Ghana and not the teacher directly.
5. Pay our teachers at least 70% of what is paid to members of parliament (salaries and allowances) to motivate them.
6. Provide our schools at all levels with textbooks and other basic teaching and learning materials before each term starts to ensure teaching and learning are not hampered.
7. Provide each school district at the basic school level with a bus that can transport not less than 30 students at a time to help in the easy transportation of basic school learners in each district for sports, cultures, and other extracurricular activities.
8. Approve and pay grants for schools promptly to aid in the carrying out of their mandates.
9. Provide funds for end-of-term examinations in our public schools.
10. Revise and transform the Free SHS policy to target quality educational services at the SHS level instead of focussing on the quantity of students admitted into schools in deplorable states.
11. Expand facilities in Category C second-cycle schools to make them competitive and attract learners. This will help reduce the burden on the so-called oversubscribed schools.
12. Employ teachers who meet all recruitment requirements on time after college or their university education without any form of discrimination.
13. Embed GTLE into the curriculum of the College of Education and University Education for teachers to avoid the current challenges and confusion related to the examination.
14. Help green and paint public schools every two years to help maintain their beauty.
15. Ensure quarterly public school maintenance services are rendered to public schools so that structures, desks, and other fixtures and fittings are kept in good shape.

15 Education Sector Manifesto Demands: Institutions, departments, and agencies can be created to help achieve the above, as well as the categories of people for whom it will create jobs,.

To address the various educational reforms and improvements you have suggested, the government of Ghana could consider establishing or enhancing specific agencies and departments. These entities would not only ensure the effective implementation of these reforms but also create jobs for Ghanaian youth. Here are some suggestions:

1. National School Infrastructure Development Agency (NSIDA)

• Role: Focus on the construction, renovation, and maintenance of school buildings, especially in the hinterlands. This agency would ensure that school structures are befitting and well-maintained. This can be done by identifying existing organizations in the private and public sectors to champion this.
• Job Creation: Civil engineers, architects, construction workers, maintenance staff, and project managers.

2. Teacher Professional Development Institute (TPDI)

• Role: Provide free, continuous professional development programs for teachers, focusing on modern pedagogical skills, technology integration, and subject mastery. This institute would ensure that teachers are well-equipped to deliver quality education. This can be better placed under the responsibilities of the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) or NTC, whichever these mandates better fall under.
• Job Creation: Education specialists, trainers, curriculum developers, program coordinators, and administrative staff.

3. National School Transport Service (NSTS)

• Role: Manage and maintain a fleet of buses for each school district, facilitating the transportation of students for extracurricular activities such as sports and cultural events.
• Job Creation: Bus drivers, mechanics, transportation coordinators, and logistics managers.

4. Public School Maintenance and Beautification Agency (PSMBA)

• Role: Responsible for the regular maintenance, painting, and greening of public schools. The agency would ensure that schools are in good condition and aesthetically pleasing.
• Job Creation: Painters, landscapers, maintenance technicians, inspectors, and supervisors.

5. Educational Resources and Distribution Agency (ERDA)

• Role: Ensure that textbooks and other teaching and learning materials are distributed to schools before each term begins. The agency would also manage the prompt payment of grants and funding for end-of-term examinations.
• Job Creation: Supply chain managers, warehouse staff, distribution coordinators, and administrative personnel.

6. Free SHS Quality Assurance Office (FSQAO)

• Role: Oversee the improvement of the Free SHS policy, focusing on enhancing the quality of education rather than just increasing enrollment. This office would work on issues like meal quality, infrastructure, and the elimination of the double-track system.
• Job Creation: Education policy analysts, quality assurance officers, program evaluators, and support staff.

7. Category C Schools Enhancement Initiative (CCSEI)

• Role: Work specifically on expanding and upgrading facilities in Category C second-cycle schools to make them more competitive. The initiative would focus on reducing the pressure on oversubscribed schools by making these schools more attractive to students.
• Job Creation: Project managers, facility managers, educational planners, and construction workers.

8. Teacher Employment and Recruitment Agency (TERA)

• Role: Ensure the timely and fair recruitment of qualified teachers after their college or university education. This agency would work to eliminate discrimination and streamline the recruitment process. Teacher recruitment functions need to be separated from the GES to help the GES function better.
• Job Creation: Recruitment officers, HR specialists, data analysts, and administrative staff.

9. National Educational Standards and Maintenance Board (NESMB)

• Role: Oversee the overall standards of public schools, including infrastructure, teacher performance, and educational outcomes. This board would also coordinate the quarterly maintenance services required to keep school facilities in good condition. The National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) can be better empowered to perform this function.
• Job Creation: Inspectors, maintenance coordinators, auditors, and compliance officers.

10. School Grant and Funding Authority (SGFA)

• Role: Manage the approval and disbursement of grants and funds to schools, ensuring that financial resources are available for schools to meet their obligations.
• Job Creation: Financial analysts, grant managers, accountants, and administrative assistants.

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These agencies and departments would not only address the specific issues highlighted but also create numerous employment opportunities for the youth in Ghana, contributing to the overall development of the education sector. It is our hope that, political parties in Ghana will heed this call as contained in the 15 Education Sector Manifesto Demands for Election 2024.

Your comments, critiques, and suggestions are welcome.

Source: Wisdom K.E Hammond – Team Lead at Education-News Consult | [email protected]