Reports reveal that the government has still not been able to provide textbooks for Junior High School students almost five years after introducing the new Common Core Programme (CCP) Curriculum .
It is important to note that textbooks are very crucial for providing comprehensive information, explanations, and examples to students hence their absence can hinder students’ understanding of various subjects.
Thus, without textbooks, students and teachers will have limited access to essential learning resources and materials.
The new Common Core Programme (CCP) Curriculum for Junior High School (Basic 7 to Basic 9) and Senior High School (Basic 10) is the second phase of the pre-tertiary curriculum review which started in 2017, with KG and Primary years programme currently being implemented by the Ghana Education Service since 2019.
According to Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, junior high school pupils may be required to sit the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) without having access to textbooks.
Mr Asare indicated that the first batch of students using the Common Core curriculum would be sitting for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) July this year as communicated by the Ghana Education Service.
He expressed deep concerns that if the government does not take immediate steps to ensure that the textbooks are provided by June 2024 then there is a high possibility that the student who will be sitting for the Basic Education Certificate Examination will not have access to any form of textbooks since they started learning under the Common Core Curriculum.
Lack of Funds Block The Productions Of Textbooks
The Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Mr Kofi Asare further posited that the situation is a result of the government’s failure to settle the publishers of the textbooks.
“When they were promised that the government was giving them 100% local content in the publication of textbooks, they were all happy, and they went and procured loans to print textbooks, and then they have not been paid. They owe about 90% of what they do”.
Kofi Asare, Executive Director Africa Education Watch
Explaining the severity of the situation, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch indicated that a substantial amount of money is required for the production of the textbooks.
He emphasized once more that if publishers are not paid, it suggests that the textbooks are not ready, not to mention the procurement procedure.
“That’s why I don’t see the junior school textbooks happening anytime between now and the next BECE
Kofi Asare, Executive Director Africa Education Watch
Thus the failure of the government to provide textbooks for junior high school students who will be writing their final examination July this year after the introduction of a new curriculum can have several significant effects on the students’ performances as well as the country’s educational system.
The absence of textbooks can negatively impact students’ academic performance as they serve as reference materials for self-study, revision, and homework assignments, hence without them, students may struggle to prepare adequately for examinations, leading to lower academic achievements.
In addition, there may be long-term repercussions if junior high school textbook shortages occur during these critical years. Students’ capacity to succeed in later academic or professional endeavours may be hampered by gaps in their core knowledge when they attend higher school or the workforce.
To minimize any potential harm to students and the educational system as a whole, the government must act quickly to remedy the situation, whether by providing textbooks or other alternative learning materials to the students under the Common Core Curriculum.
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