Comparative Analysis of Education Reforms and Access to Quality Education as a Tool for National Development: A Case of Ghana’s Educational Reforms

Abstract

Purpose: It has been an indispensable fact that Education has been a vibrant instrument in the developmental processes of any given nation across the world. In this article, the researchers made critical analysis of various educational reforms that have been undertaken in Ghana (formerly Gold Coast Colony) in both colonial and post-colonial periods and their relationship to improve educational standards towards national development. Methodology: Precisely, the paper scrutinizes historical development of Ghanaian’s education and its problems encountered in meeting its national developmental goal. Findings: In order to address the above challenges, this paper contends that it is important to separate the management of the education process from the national political agenda. Changes and management of the education processes should be handled by relevant stakeholders who are imbued with accurate, effective knowledge and acumen in the field of education and should follow appropriate procedures namely: examining the nation’s educational and historical trends, theoretical considerations, objectives of the education processes, curriculum and administration demands. Unique Contribution to Practice and Policy: The Ghanaian educational curriculum should be crafted by all stakeholders to suit the indigenous African context. These would meet the needs for the required manpower. The researchers also identified that some educational policies were reformed without appropriate analysis of the previous ones before those reformations were made due to over politicisation of the reforms. Above all, it is imperative to develop a clear educational policy and to correlate it to Ghana’s national character and societal needs. In order for education to foster accelerated development, this paper recommends: the need to separate educational policies from national politics, clear stipulation of educational policies and their role in national augmented development, and a sound implementation of educational reforms. The studies of technical subjects were mentioned in the entire policies yet very little has been done. The Researchers also suggest that there should be National Education Policy as Long term Plan for a specific number of years for every political party to implement so as to deny any political party to interfere with their political programme outside the national educational developmental plan. The researchers also suggest that for the government to help solve the problem of unemployment, technical and vocational education should be given a critical attention. This is due to the fact that some of the current problems have existed for over a century now.