Summary of the Pre-tertiary New Educational Reforms

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment ( NaCCA) has introduced some reforms at the Pre-tertiary Education level in Ghana.

NaCCA,in 2019 the Standard-Based Curriculum for Kindergarten and Primary Schools.

In 2020, NaCCA also introduced the Common Core Program (CCP) Curriculum for JHS 1 to SHS1.

Below are some of the new introductions in the Pre-tertiary Education reforms.

1. Kindergarten, primary school, JHS and SHS shall all be described as basic school. JHS 1, 2, 3 and SHS 1 shall now be referred as BS 7,8,9 and 10 respectively i. e. SHS 1 shall now be called BS 9.

2. All students in JHS 1 – SHS 1 shall run a Common Core Programme called CCP which comprises of 9 subjects; namely – Maths, Languages, Science, RME (stand alone subject), Physical and Health Education (not examinable) , Career Technology, Social Studies, Computing and Creative Art and Design.

3. A new of examination called National Standard Assessment Test (NSAT) shall be conducted at Primary 2, 4, 6 and JHS 2.

4. BECE shall be replaced by placement exams at JHS 3 to enroll students into SHS1.

5. Students in SHS1 shall continue to run the common core programme for one year thus students into SHS1 shall not select science, busines or arts programmes.

6. At the end of SHS1, Students shall write a Common Core Exams into SHS 2.

7. At SHS 2, students will now have to select either a career related programme which include, vocational and technical programmes or a high school Diploma programmes such as science, busines, arts.

8. This means Elective subjects shall start in SHS 2.

9. Wassce will be replaced by a university entrance exams at SHS3.

10. Students after successful completion of SHS 3 will be rewarded a Diploma Certificate instead of WASSCE certificate.

Comments by
1. The education system will be more of research, community engagement, projects with fewer contents.

1. Computer Literacy in one of the major focus of this programme as all educational stakeholders must be in good position to provide adequate I.T. facilities for students

2. Science at the basic level comprises physical and applied science which involves more of demonstrative features. It is sectioned into the following:

Diversity of matter
Cycle
System
Forces and Energy
Human and Environment

It is then necessary for all educational heads to recruit more skilled and qualified science persons to run the programme as fewer concepts in the SHS syllabus have been pushed down to prepare students for their electives in SHS 2.