Ghana: Focus on quality education; not more schools

África/Ghana/Octubre de 2016/Autor: Jonas Nyabor/Fuente: Citifmonline

RESUMEN: Un ex director del Servicio de Educación de Ghana (GES), Michael Kenneth Nsowah, dijo que los gobiernos deben centrarse en garantizar una educación de calidad en el país en lugar de construir más instalaciones educativas. Según él, es preocupante tener más escuelas sin embargo, la mayoría de los graduados son incapaces de seguir una educación superior.«Los sucesivos gobiernos desde la independencia han hecho grandes inversiones en la ampliación de plazas en las escuelas, sin embargo, con el aumento de la matrícula no han visto la expansión de la oferta de maestros capacitados y el suministro de los recursos necesarios correspondientes para habilitar las escuelas para funcionar de manera eficiente,» Un investigador en ISSER en la Universidad de Ghana, el profesor Jonathan Fletcher al tiempo que presenta el informe del Instituto en el sector de la educación indica que los gobiernos no han sido capaces de equilibrar la mejora del acceso a la financiación. Profesor Fletcher reconoció que, la idea de mejorar el acceso era loable y necesaria, pero también señaló que «no estamos en condiciones de proporcionar suficientes fondos para mejorar la infraestructura.»

A former director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Michael Kenneth Nsowah, says governments must focus on ensuring quality education in the country rather than building more educational facilities.

According to him, it is worrying to have more schools yet majority of the graduates are unable to pursue higher education.

“Successive governments since independence have invested heavily in the expansion of places in schools, however, the increase in enrollment have not seen corresponding expansion in the supply of trained teachers and the supply of the needed resources to enable the schools to function efficiently,” he said.

He expressed worry that successive governments continue to credit their achievements in quality educational delivery in the number of schools built; rather than achievements on performance.

Michael Kenneth Nsowah was speaking at the first national conference of the University Teachers’ Association of Ghana (UTAG) at the University of Ghana on the theme, “The Quality of Manpower and Teaching at the Pre-Tertiary Level: Its Impact on University Education.”

He noted that, such qualitative assessment of education “is a phenomenon that was reminiscent of the emerging stage of colonialism” used to measure the level of development.

“…and this thing is continuing, we are fighting over ‘I built 20 schools, you built one school’ and this is taking us no where, because at the core of the whole educational enterprise is quality.”

Michael Nsowah opined that, the low investment and interest in qualitative issues in the primary education may be attributed to the fact that most research findings and reports that expose weaknesses in the educational system, are often ignored or defended to avoid embarrassment or criticism.

“Each year, when we talk about the failure of the candidates; BECE or WASSCE we sweep it under the carpet,” he said.

He said it was worrying that most Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) graduates fail in the core subjects, making it difficult for them to gain admission into secondary and tertiary institutions respectively.

‘Imbalance in infrastructure eroding quality education’

The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), recently cited inadequate funding as one of the main reasons for the erosion of quality education at all levels in Ghana.

A researcher at ISSER at the University of Ghana, Professor Jonathan Fletcher while presenting the institute’s report on the education sector indicated that governments have not been able to balance improved access with funding.

Professor Fletcher acknowledged that, the idea of improving access was commendable and necessary, but he also noted that, “we are not able to provide enough funding to improve infrastructure.”

Fuente: http://citifmonline.com/2016/10/12/focus-on-quality-education-not-more-schools-nsowah/