SHS Education

THE statement by Mr Alex Tettey-Enyo, Education Minister designate to reverse the duration of senior high school (SHS) education from four to three years has attracted mixed reactions from a members of the public.
While some support the idea saying that it would reduce cost on parents, others say it would truncate the smooth implementation of the four-year system which had gradually been accepted.
In separate interviews with the Daily Graphic, they therefore, called for a non-partisan discussion to the issue so as not to jeopardise the future of Ghanaian children.
Some heads of second cycle schools in the country have expressed concern that, there were not enough classroom blocks to lecture a class of about 75 students at a go and if it had to be reversed to three-years, then most of them would not have completed their academic syllabi.
As a result of the inadequate number of the required classroom infrastructure, some of the heads have indicated that they would have to reduce the admission in-take to make room for extra classrooms for the students as a temporary alternative.
The new government under President Mills has indicated its new vision for education, including the making of SHS education three years, instead of the four years under the education reform.
Some teachers suggested that, if the new government would provide laboratory equipment and other study materials for the three years programme, they would however, applaud the initiative.
Students the Daily Graphic interviewed expressed worry that the academic syllabi is too packed and they are unable to complete most of them before they are out of school.
They appealed to the government to maintain the four years so as to complete their syllabi.