I’ll conduct educational reforms within 100 days in office – Mahama

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama, claims that if he is elected on December 7th, according to polls, he will implement an educational reform in his first 100 days in office.

He declared that he will also present teachers as essential components of changes to national policy.

In a similar vein, he said that his administration’s priorities would be to train more teachers in the primary local languages and to use “first language” as the medium of instruction for students in kindergarten through basic three.

On Sunday, April 21, 2024, the NDC leader spoke to Teacher Unions on his Building Ghana visit at the NAGRAT headquarters in Accra.

The former president, who is running for reelection, stated, “We plan to build more libraries and resume providing reading and textbooks for all basic schools in order to encourage reading at the basic level.”

He also promised to lift the GETFUND’s cap and collateralization, resume the distribution of free sanitary pads, and ensure that the capitation grant would be disbursed to education directorates and schools on schedule.

“I will prioritise the revival of abandoned TVET and E-blocks in our education infrastructure drive to decongest schools and improve the quality of education,” Mr Mahama said.

“We also plan to review and improve the implementation of the Free SHS policy, resolve its associated challenges, and mainstream TVET and STEM in all secondary schools” Mahama stated.

Read what he wrote on his Facebook wall below:

I had the pleasure of meeting with representatives of our Teacher Unions at the NAGRAT head office in Accra. We had a healthy policy dialogue in preparation for finalising our (NDC) manifesto. Here are some key points I shared during the meeting:

1. I emphasised the importance of conducting an educational reform in my first 100 days in office and the integral role of teachers in national policy reforms.
2. My administration will focus on adopting ‘first language’ as a medium of instruction from KG to Basic 3 and training more teachers in major local languages to facilitate teaching and learning at the basic levels.

 

3. To encourage reading at the basic level, we plan to build more libraries and resume providing reading and textbooks for all basic schools.

 

4. Timely disbursement of the capitation grant to education directorates and schools will be a priority, as well as removing the capping and collateralisation of the GETFUND and resuming the free sanitary pad distribution policy.

 

5. I will prioritise the revival of abandoned TVET and E-blocks in our education infrastructure drive to decongest schools and improve the quality of education.

 

6. We also plan to review and improve the implementation of the Free SHS policy, resolve its associated challenges, and mainstream TVET and STEM in all secondary schools.

These are just a few highlights from the productive dialogue we had. I look forward to further collaboration with teacher unions and other stakeholders to develop effective policies for the education sector.

Together, we can build a better and more inclusive education system for our children and the future of our nation. Thank you to all the teacher unions who participated and shared their valuable insights.

#TheMahamaPlan

#LetsBuildGhanaTogether

#EducationReform

#BetterFuture.

Source: Ghanatodayonline.com