Education Forum Committee engages experts, teacher unions
The senior educationists were a former Vice-Chancellor (V-C), University of Ghana, Prof. Ivan Addae-Mensah; a former V-C, University of Cape Coast, Rev. Prof. Emmanuel Adow Obeng; a former V-C, University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Jophus Anamuah-Mensah; a former Deputy Minister of Education, Prof. Esi Sutherland-Addy, and a former Member of Parliament (MP) for Bia West, Dr Augustine Tawiah.
The teacher unions included the Ghana National Association of Teachers, the National Association of Graduate Teachers and the Coalition of Concerned Teachers Ghana.
Committee
The Chairman of the committee, Prof. George K. T. Oduro, said the 8-member committee was inaugurated on February 7, 2015, by the President to plan a national education forum.
"So the committee went out to work. We looked at the manifestos of the National Democratic Congress and the New Patriotic Party," he said.
The chairman said some stakeholders in education were also engaged, after which a theme: Transforming education for a sustainable future, was developed.”
Prof. Oduro said the committee subsequently broke the theme down into five thematic areas.
It included infrastructure, quality education provision, and regulation, accountability and governance.
Role of unions
The Deputy Director-General in charge of Quality and Access of the Ghana Education Service, Dr Issahaque Munawaru, said the work of unions had gone beyond only giving pressure, to making valuable contributions to the development of the education system.
"Let me indicate that the government is committed to transforming the education of this country on the back of ensuring that we have enhanced access and relevant education that is equitable and inclusive," he said.
Dr Munawaru said it was in line with this that his outfit was engaging people from all levels and all shapes of opinions to harvest critical and innovative opinions to help shape what had already been approved by the people in the manifesto of the NDC.
"These discussions will take into consideration our existing laws, regulations, and strategic education plan between 2018 and 2030," he added.
Dr Munawaru said at the end of consultations, they would collate and build consensus on education to achieve the government's vision of an "enhanced education system to nurture talents, foster innovation and equip students to be globally competitive with relevant skills for the fast-changing world of work".
The committee has already met with various student groups and religious leaders, and will tomorrow hold a national validation conference to consider the inputs of the stakeholders, including the donor community.
