By Rebecca Ekpe
Education no doubt is the backbone of every development. Education is fundamental to the developmental aspirations of every country, from the basic through to the higher levels. In Ghana, critical attention has been paid to the country’s educational system over the years, in a bid to remove disparities, encourage inclusivity, match industry and above all, bring it up to speed with current trends on the domestic as well as the global front. However, in spite of the many interventions to propel the best results, Ghana’s educational system is fraught with several challenges.
Inadequate infrastructure
According to information available, many schools lack basic facilities like classrooms, libraries, and toilets. The inadequacy in infrastructure has been captured by the Ghana Education Service in its reports. As of 2020, 23.4% of schools lack adequate classrooms, and 34.6% of schools in Ghana lack libraries.
Teacher shortages
Ghana faces a shortage of qualified teachers, particularly in rural areas. Due to the unavailability of amenities in the rural areas, teachers posted often do not go at or vacate their posts in no time. The authorities are on record to have appealed to teachers posted to remote areas to report for duty, often to no avail. According to the Ghana Education Service, as of 2020, 44.8% of schools have teacher vacancies. Furthermore, 15 thousand teachers are needed to meet the student-teacher ratio, and this is statistics provided by the Ghana National Association of Teachers in a 2022 report.
Poor teacher training
Teachers often receive inadequate training, leading to ineffective teaching methods. This anomaly became evident during the Covid-19 days when teachers had to resort to on-line mode of teaching and learning. Feedback from the teachers and students exposed a huge gap in usability. The statistics further speak to this as a Ghana Education Service, 2020 report uncovered that 60% of teachers lack training in modern teaching methods.
High student-to-teacher ratio
Another setback to quality education in Ghana has to do with the large class sizes that make it difficult for students to receive individual attention. Teacher-to-student radio, in other words, the contact time is integral in the education value chain. Clearly, there is a correlation between teacher-to-student contact time and quality results from students. Again, Ghana Education Service points out that the high student-to-teacher ratio translates to an average student-to-teacher ratio of 1:45, with 25% of schools having a ratio of 1:60 or higher.
Limited access to education
Even with the current free education being implemented at Senior High Schools in Ghana, many children, especially in rural areas, have limited access to education due to distance, poverty, or some cultural factors. 14.4% of children aged 6-14 are out of school, based on data from the Ghana Statistical Service in a 2020 report. Furthermore, 25.5% of girls in rural areas are out of school, according to Ghana Statistical Service data released in 2020.
Quality of education
The quality of education is as important as there are concerns about the quality of education with a focus on note learning rather than critical thinking. Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has raised concerns about the lack of critical thinking in the teaching in schools in Ghana. ”Chew, pour, pass, forget”, sometimes is how this scenario is captured. For the fact that many lack critical thinking, the West African Examinations Council 2020 report states that 50% of students failed to meet the minimum standards in reading and math.
Examination malpractice
Oftentimes, cheating and examining malpractice are significant issues, undermining the validity of the examination. Stakeholders have noted that teachers, parents, students, and in some instances, security officials are complicit. A 2020 West African Examinations Council data reports that 30% of Examination Candidates engage in malpractice.
Funding constraints
Funding is huge. Education funding is often insufficient, leading to inadequate resources and facilities. Ghana’s Ministry of Finance 2022 report revealed that the Education budget is 13.4% of total government expenditure. When it comes to materials, 25% of schools lack basic teaching materials, this is captured in a Ghana Education Service report 2020.
Curriculum relevance
The curriculum is often criticised for not being relevant to Ghana’s economic and social needs. As the authorities navigate to turn the tide, 70% of employers say graduates lack the relevant skills on the job market. This is according to the Ghana Employers Association, 2020 data.
Disparities in education
There are also disparities between urban and rural areas, with rural areas often having poorer facilities and fewer qualified teachers. Ghana Education Service 2020 reports reveal that Rural schools have 2.5 times more teacher vacancies than urban schools, while, 40% of rural schools lack electricity, compared to 10% of urban schools.
These statistics provide evidence of the challenges confronting Ghana’s education system, including inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, poor teacher training, and more.
