The former president and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, recently met with representatives of Teacher Unions at the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) head office in Accra.
This meeting provided a platform for Mr. Mahama to share his vision for the educational sector and engage in a healthy policy dialogue in preparation for finalizing the NDC’s manifesto.
During the meeting, Mr. Mahama emphasized the importance of conducting an educational reform within his first 100 days in office. He highlighted the vital role that teachers play in national policy reforms and outlined key initiatives that his administration would focus on if elected.
One of the primary focuses of Mr. Mahama’s educational vision is the adoption of the ‘first language’ as a medium of instruction from Kindergarten to Basic 3. He also plans to train more teachers in major local languages to facilitate teaching and learning at the basic levels. Additionally, his administration aims to build more libraries, provide reading and textbooks for all basic schools, and ensure the timely disbursement of the capitation grant to education directorates and schools.
Mr. Mahama also addressed the need to revive abandoned Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) centers and E-blocks to improve the quality of education and decongest schools. He mentioned plans to review and improve the implementation of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, resolve associated challenges, and mainstream Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in secondary schools.
In a Facebook post following the meeting, Mr. Mahama expressed his gratitude to the teacher unions for their valuable insights and collaboration. He reiterated his commitment to building a better and more inclusive education system for the children and future of the nation.
