Politics and Ghana’s pre-tertiary curriculum reform programmes: have these helped the nation?

Abstract

The study investigated policy factors (since independence) that occasion education reforms in Ghana. Specifically, it focused on pre-tertiary education reforms in Ghana with critical historical reference to literature and the political ramification in an effort to improve education. The paper critically examined whether the politically-motivated reforms have helped address the developmental challenges of Ghana thereby ensuring enhanced quality of life of the people. The paper made use of historical analyses and sought views of some key players in education through interviews as strategies to critically explore the issue. Five (5) education policy implementers in the pre-tertiary system of Ghana were drawn from the Ghana Education Service to shed light on the subject to provide rich comprehensive data on their perspectives relative to the education reforms during the period. In addition, two curriculum experts from the University of Cape Coast were interviewed to ascertain the candid opinions of connoisseurs on the issue. The study recommended that government should organise annual curricula colloquiums to solicit broad stakeholder views on ways of making the curriculum better. The paper’s view is that when this happens, Ghana’s quest for development through education would be a fait accompli.