The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) has introduced a revolutionary new curriculum for Senior High Schools (SHS) focused on instilling national values and nurturing pride among young people.
This innovative curriculum offers 37 subjects aimed at providing students with the knowledge, skills, values, attitudes, and character traits essential for lifelong learning, employability, and a satisfying adult life.
During a media briefing with various teacher unions in Bolgatanga, Reginald George Quartey, Acting Director of Curriculum Development at NaCCA, highlighted the curriculum’s flexibility. He noted that it will enable students to customize their studies based on their interests and strengths, thereby removing the rigid structures of previous programs.
“This new curriculum will help students to select the subjects they want to study; for instance, if a student wants to do science, he will do the four core subjects and then, select perhaps chemistry and biology and from there, the student can add government and business or other two subjects that are totally not related to science,” Mr. Quartey explained.
He further explained that: “The idea is that if the student is having interest or not performing well in the science, he can have a chance to either change to do art or business without necessarily having to go through some challenges of doing so.”
The Dean, Professor Jonathan Fletcher, who established the School of Education and Leadership at the University of Ghana, commended the curriculum for its comprehensive teaching approach.
“The document itself incorporates a lot of inclusive pedagogy to make it easier for teachers to help students,” Prof. Fletcher stated, highlighting the curriculum’s commitment to catering to diverse learning needs.
Nevertheless, the implementation of the new curriculum has sparked worries among educators regarding disparities in school facilities nationwide.
Madam Ivy Betur Naaso, the Upper East Regional Chairperson of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), expressed concerns about the possible unequal distribution, especially in less affluent Category B and C schools.
“It’s only when there is equal infrastructure at various schools that we can achieve an equal new curriculum,” Madam Naaso asserted.
She emphasized the necessity for enhancements in school infrastructure to guarantee that every student, irrespective of their school’s classification, can equally reap the benefits of the new educational structure.