For the first time, visually impaired students in senior high schools (SHSs) can access Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers and technical education opportunities. 

This follows a move to develop a Mathematics curriculum specifically tailored for visually impaired students in SHSs.

Currently, the Ministry of Education is working with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) to develop the curriculum to that effect.

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, who announced this at the inauguration of a 12-member GES Governing Council in Accra last Friday, explained that the move formed part of the broader reforms being undertaken by the government to make the curriculum truly inclusive.

He said additionally, the ministry was working towards the development of a Ghanaian sign language curriculum to support students and institutions for the hearing-impaired.

"We need to have some curriculum for that category of disabled persons in order that instructions for students who are deaf or have hearing issues will be supported by that," he emphasised.

Board

The Governing Council of the GES has a former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Education, Winneba, Prof. Mawutor Avoke, as the Chairman, with Dr Rosemond Wilson, representing the West African Examinations Council (WAEC); Prof. Azeko Tahiru Salifu, representing the National Schools Inspectorate Authority; Adam Adu Marshall, representing the National Teaching Council; Prof. Yayra Dzakadzie, representing NaCCA, and Rt Rev. Paa Solomon Grant-Essilfie, representing the teacher associations, as members.

The rest are Mamle D. Andrews of the Ministry of Education; Felicia Dapaah Agyeman-Boakye of the Local Government Service Council; Adamu Bintu Fati, representing the non-teaching staff of GES; an educationist, Florence Bobi; a representative of the faith-based organisations, and the Director-General of the GES, Prof.Ernest Kofi Davis.

The minister administered the oath of office and secrecy to them.

Mr Iddrisu entrusted the governing council with the responsibility of ensuring that they worked with stakeholders to develop the first-ever digital education policy for the country before the end of the year.

The expected digital education policy, he explained, would define how the country would mainstream information and communications technology (ICT) into the education system, making it integral to the development of the learners from kindergarten.

Safety

About safety in schools and recent stories of gunshots and the wielding of knives in some educational institutions, the minister charged the governing council to take immediate, proactive and critical steps to guarantee safety in all educational institutions, and urged the inspectorate division of the GES to strengthen school inspections in that direction.

He said he was pushing for the establishment of a Tertiary Vocation Education and Training (TVET) Fund, 25 per cent of which could be dedicated to support the national apprenticeship programme.

He reiterated government's desire to end the double track system in SHSs, pointing out that it had resulted in overcrowding, reduced contact hours, created academic instability and reduced the quality of education.

To abolish it, he said, they had to implement data-driven and sustainable measures that included nationwide infrastructure programmes, giving the assurance that the government would improve infrastructure at the SHS level and also in many of the TVET institutions.

Responding to the minister's comments, Prof. Avoke said the governing council would work to meet the existing exigencies and emerging challenges.

He expressed the gratitude of the new council members to the President for finding them worthy to serve on the council and also to the minister for facilitating the entire process.