JHS and SHS Diploma award brouhaha, MoE clarifies issues

The Ministry of Education has come out to speak on news making rounds regarding the Award Diploma to JHS and SHS graduates.

This was contained in a press statement dated 11^th February 2019. In the press statement, the MOE mentioned that news making rounds which indicated the minster’s proposal for the reduction of University Education to three years from the current four year have been misrepresented.

When the news broke, the quickly trended on social media specifically, Facebook, twitter and whatsapp. Many where the millions of diverse opinions. The least said about the backlash on radio and social media over the past few days, the better. This might have led to the need for the MoE to release a press statement to clarify issues so as to quench the debate.

Clarifications on the subject matter were made in the press statement

The ministry holds the view that, Ghana needs a strong a robust reform at the pre tertiary level. One of the issues on the table in restructuring the new education policy is whether to reduce university education from three years to four years.

The statement further points out that the 1987 education reforms brought about a shift from the A-level system to the Junior High School system.

The press release also clarified that, the Minister of Education was using the opportunity to trigger a national dialogue on the matter with the view that, if the SHS curriculum is improved and made robust, it can provide students with employable skills.

On the issue of the 4 years of University education, an educationist has made it known to newsghana24 made it clear that, when the Previous system that required students to complete form four before going to University was changed, the SHS was introduced and made three years instead of the four year.

The additional year was therefore added to the official three years of university education. It was this arrangement that made the University education four years.

The Ministry has made its position and that of the minister clear on the issue. Going forward we should consider educationist for the position of minister of education, such an individual will resonate with the ministry, teachers and stakeholders to champion the work of the ministry.

If there is anything Ghanaians will remember about the MoE and the Minister, it is the several none ending confusions, contradictions and the inability of the general public and the media to really understand our minister of Education who is working so hard to put the ministry in shape.

It is very easy to blame while seating on the fence and far from the hot seat. Let us rally behind the Minister of education so we can all succeed as a country. We all need to master the act of communicating and choose our words carefully because poorly chosen words to explain excellent ideas can mess up ideas.

Finally let us know that, in communication, recipients are not under any obligation to decode your encoded message the way you want it. The meaning they derive from your message is exactly what you communicated to them.