Experts call for urgent reform in education system
Experts at the 76th Annual New Year School and Conference (ANYSC) have called for urgent reforms in the country’s education system.
They also urged similar reforms in governance structure and environmental protection policies to ensure sustainable development and resilience.
The participants urged the government to develop policies that supported technology training for teachers through the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA).
A communique issued at the end of the three-day Annual New Year School and Conference also recommended embedding the training in Professional Learning Community (PLC) sessions to equip the next generation with 21st-century skills.
The communique asked for the provision of computers and digital resources for teachers, students and employees, backed by robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
The event was held on the theme; “Attaining the 5-Ps of Sustainable Development for a Resilient Ghana: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership.”
Organised by the School of Continuing and Distance Education of the University of Ghana, the conference brought together about 500 participants, including virtual attendees, at the Great Hall and the ISSER Conference Facility. Discussions focused on technology, environmental protection, governance and financial technologies
Governance
On governance, the participants emphasised the need for electoral reforms to strengthen grassroots democracy.
They also recommended the election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) and proposed constitutional amendments to allow political parties and independent candidates to participate in local government elections.
Those measures, the participants noted, would enhance district development, foster multi-party democracy and promote citizen participation.
Gender equity
Addressing gender equity, the participants highlighted the importance of empowering women at all levels, starting from communities and basic schools to district assemblies.
A bottom-up approach was recommended to ensure women’s active involvement in decision-making processes.
Environmental sustainability also featured prominently in the discussions, with the participants calling for strict enforcement of laws protecting water bodies and forest resources, urging the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and security agencies to clamp down on illegal mining operations and prosecute offenders.
To reduce the country’s reliance on fossil fuels, it was recommended that the government expedite the transition to renewable energy and mandate that at least 30 per cent of new buildings include renewable energy components such as solar power.
Other recommendations
Other key recommendations included expanding telecommunication network coverage to underserved areas, enhancing cybersecurity measures to protect citizens from financial scams and leveraging public-private partnerships to improve digital literacy and access for farmers and traders.
Participants also called for the decentralisation of regulatory bodies such as the Ghana Standards Authority and the inclusion of trade standards in educational curricula to boost regional competitiveness.
They further stressed the importance of using government-backed digital platforms to enhance citizen engagement and ensure transparency in policymaking.
Additionally, they recommended strengthening data protection protocols and insulating state institutions from political interference to ensure their effectiveness.