Ghana’s Education Quality Is Intact; Beating Students Won’t Fix Education Woes – Dr. Adutwum Rebuts GSS Findings
Former Education Minister challenges GSS claims of declining education quality, insists on proper assessment methods over corporal punishment.
According to a new report by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) and the Ministry of Education, access to education in Ghana has significantly improved over the years, but the quality has seen fluctuations,
Reacting to the report, former Education Minister and Member of Parliament for Bosomtwe, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, expressed strong disagreement with the GSS findings.
Speaking on the Ghana Se Sen Morning Show on Lawson TV/Radio with Kwame Tanko on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, Dr. Adutwum questioned the methodology used in assessing the alleged decline in education quality, urging the GSS to provide clearer justification for its claims.
He highlighted that during the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration under former President Akufo-Addo, a national test in 2016 revealed that only 2% of Primary 2 pupils could read. To address this, his administration introduced the Ghana Accountability and Learning Outcomes Project (GALOP) to enhance learning outcomes.
Addressing concerns over the ban on corporal punishment in schools, Dr. Adutwum dismissed the notion that beating students improves academic performance.
Instead, he emphasized the need for better student assessment and performance evaluation strategies.
On exam malpractice, he noted that under his tenure as Minister, the alleged BECE leakages were curbed through the introduction of serialized question papers.
Dr. Adutwum concluded by stressing that teachers should be supported and given the necessary resources to improve education, rather than resorting to outdated disciplinary measures.
