Quality of Education

1. Quality of Education Education Sector Annual Review 2005

2. Overview • Quality indicators at basic and post-basic education • Academic and Research Programmes • Health & Environment • HIV-AIDS prevention and management

3. Quality Indicators • BECE Examinations • 61.3% of students attained an aggregate grade of 6-30 (required for entry to second cycle) in 2004 • However, only 51.1% of those in deprived districts achieved these grades • SSSCE Examinations • In 2004, 64% of those sitting SSS Certificate Exam gained passes in 6-8 subjects • Data should be made available on a per subject basis – particularly for the core subjects of Maths & English

4. Quality Indicators Minimum National Standards • A national assessment system for basic education (Primary 3 and 6) has been developed to replace the Performance Monitoring Test (PMT) and Criterion Referenced Test (CRT) • This will comprise of a National Education Assessment, School Education Assessment and Continuous Assessment • The conducting of national testing will be undertaken in the second half of 2005

5. Quality Indicators Pupil-Teacher Ratio • Targets are 35:1 and 25:1 for Primary and JSS respectively • At primary level, for all districts, the PTR has increased between 2004 and 2005 – indicating that teacher numbers are not keeping up with enrolment • Nationally, the PTR of 34.9:1 indicates that the 2015 target has been reached • At JSS level, the PTR at Northern and Upper East Region have exceeded 2015 target, and other regions are fast approaching this • The future increase in enrolments at all levels of education will require training and deployment of larger numbers of teachers than previously

6. Quality Indicators Teacher Training and deployment • The % of trained teachers at primary and JSS fell in 2004-05 – to 72.4% and 83.5% respectively. • This is,again, most likely due to the increasing enrolment figures • 97% of newly trained teachers allocated to the deprived districts took up their postings in 2004 • 3,000 teachers were selected for study leave in 2004 and quotas were determined for particular subject areas

7. Quality Indicators Teacher training • INSET training was conducted for head teachers, teachers, TTC tutors etc, with a particular focus on Science, Technology & Maths and Ghanaian Languages • Like 2004, Access courses will be held in July-August 2005 for female SSS graduates, in order that they are able to start teacher training in September • The first induction courses for 4,972 untrained teachers were held in April 2005

8. Quality Indicators • Core Textbook Availability • No textbooks for basic level have been procured or distributed since 2002. It is planned that textbooks will be distributed by end 2005 • Curriculum Revision and Development • Activities have been undertaken at pre-school and pre-voc/technical level and for special education. However, many activities have been rescheduled to 2006 due to a lack of capacity and funding • Provision of library facilities • Construction and rehabilitation of regional libraries by GLB is ongoing • At institutional level, there appears to have been very little activity in constructing or providing library resources

9. Academic & Research Programmes Activities • Training programmes have been organised for external examiners in test items, moderation and verification of marked scripts in Accountancy & Marketing • Strategic plans produced by all tertiary institutions • Newsletter to disseminate information on curriculum and research being developed • Funding is available from GETfund and TALIF to promote academic programmes and research activities

10. Health & Environment Activities • Proposals for training of first-aid officers and deworming programmes have been submitted to health partners • Currently, there is no data collection of the health and nutritional status of primary and JSS students School Feeding • In 2004/05 30,000 students benefited from school feeding, under WFP programme • From 2005/06 onwards, the target number of students to benefit from school feeding, health checks, safe water & sanitation through NEPAD school feeding programme is 497,000, rising to 1.7 million Key Issues • There is insufficient capacity within SHEP unit to achieve targets. Greater collaboration with NGOs, other MDAs etc is required in order for a full programme of activities to be achieved.

11. HIV-AIDS Management & Prevention Activities • HIV/AIDS data indicators have been developed for inclusion in EMIS data collection • INSET training for basic school and SSS teachers undertaken by HIV/AIDS Secretariat • Development of manuals and guidelines for organisations working on HIV/AIDS programmes in schools • Consultation with Ghana AIDS Commission has been undertaken to include education sector in Knowledge, Action & Practice Surveys

12. HIV-AIDS Management & Prevention Key Issues • Targets for training all basic teachers in HIV/AIDS components of basic curricula by 2007 should be re-examined • Establishment of HIV-AIDS programmes in all tertiary institutions should be prioritised • In the areas of health, HIV/AIDS and academic research, there is a need to continue looking to external sources of support, both financial and personnel, to successfully complete activities

13. Questions • Key recommendations for Quality of Education? • Key inputs into AESOP? • Key inputs into Budget?