New JHS and SHS curriculum to be rolled out next academic year

The much-anticipated New JHS and SHS curriculum is expected to be rolled out next academic year per the information from the Education Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

According to the boss of the MoE, the Common Core Programme (CCP) Curriculum for Junior and Senior High Schools will be used by JHSs and SHSs throughout the country.

The date for reopening is however yet to be announced and the Education Minister has made it clear that schools will only be opened if it is safe. The decision will be based on science he emphasized.

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Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo in his recent televised nation’s address indicated that “the government is in consultations with stakeholders in the education sector to determine the conditions for the future re-opening of schools after the conduct of 2020 BECE and WASSCE.

Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh revealed that the Common Core Programme (CCP) Curriculum has been carefully designed for learners in JHS 1 (Basic 7) to SHS 1 (Basic 10) as part of the learning experiences necessary. In his view, it will help prepare the students for higher education as well as the world of work.

He added that, the new JHS and SHS curriculum to be rolled out will provide two avenues for learners, thus to either branching into an academic pathway or a career pathway for two years (SHS 2 to SHS 3). Successful students will then be awarded a high school or career-ready diploma.

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“Our transformational efforts on the curriculum is focused on ensuring that we have the dream Ghanaian child who is competent and able to match up to any of their counterparts anywhere in the world,” he said.

NAPO explained that in 2017, the government prioritized curriculum revision and pursued it aggressively. KG – Primary 6 curriculum was completed, transitioning us from an objective-based curriculum to a 21st-century standards-based curriculum.

He furthered that almost all 153,000 KG and primary school teachers across the country received initial training and continue to update their skills and competencies on the new curriculum.

“Roll-out commenced in September 2019 at the beginning of the 2019/2020 academic year. With the revised curricular, emphasis has been placed on the acquisition of foundational reading, writing, arithmetic and creative skills and core competencies including Creativity and innovation, Critical thinking and Problem-solving, Communication and Collaboration, Cultural identity and Global citizenship, Personal Development and Leadership, and Digital literacy”. he said.

“Mr Speaker, with significant numbers of our children truncating their education at the Basic level in the previous years, the free SHS programme, together with the comprehensive nature of the CCP curriculum, that holds both junior high and senior high together, will certainly increase the opportunity for many to access improved quality secondary education”. he added.