The Dean of the University of Cape Coast School of Business, Prof. John Gatsi has said a change in educational policy and system is such an important national project that should be undertaken with the appropriate consultations.
The government through the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has announced plans to pilot a six-year secondary education system beginning in 2023 by consolidating some junior high schools and some senior high schools under one management.
“In 2023 when we open those schools, you are going to see how we are going to see six years [of] quality secondary education,” Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, said to the press on Tuesday.
This system will be piloted at 15 sites and is envisioned to be more efficient and cost-effective.
“We have 13,000 Junior High Schools. If these reforms go on as planned, we are going to reduce to about 2,500,” Dr. Adutwum said.
This Prof. Gatsi in a Facebook post said though there is a need for educational reforms, the six-year secondary education will erode the gain for the country with a system that produces graduates 5 years earlier.
According to him, “One can say that 6 years of secondary education may help limit the number of graduates entering the job market each year but it is not a viable alternative to job creation.”
The economist explained that education reforms in 1987, “was to create an entrepreneurial educational system in which the number of years spent in school was reduced by about 5 years before entering university. This also means upon graduation, graduates may contribute to productivity within a longer time frame before retirement as opposed to the former “O” and “A” levels.”
He added that “Even though the original junior secondary system suffered adulteration with equipment, tools, and machinery stolen and destroyed, the system continues to produce quality lawyers, medical doctors, engineers, teachers, lecturers, pharmacists just to mention a few.”
“There is nothing wrong with revising the educational system but for what purpose especially when the revision is mainly about the number of years. Some reforms have been going on since 2017 but with limited support and appreciation. For example, the new curriculum for basic schools has been running for two years without textbooks. This is very bad.” he added