Jennifer

Jennifer

Ghana has about 12, 630 elementary schools, 5,450 middle schools, and 503 high schools. Furthermore it has 21 training colleges, 18 technical institutions, two diploma-awarding institutions and five universities. With a total population of only 18 million in the entire country most Ghanaians have relatively easy access to some form of education. Ghana has come a long way since the first days of it’s independence in 1957 when it only had one university and a few secondary schools. In the last ten years Ghana has spent 28 percent to 40 percent of its annual budget on education. However, many children are only able to receive the most basic education because of private schools in their communities. Elementary school through middle school education is free and will be considered mandatory once there are enough teachers and facilities available to all students. In the whole of Ghana almost 2 million students are enrolled in school. 1.3 million are enrolled in primary school, 107,600 middle, 48,900 secondary, 21,280 technical, 11,300 teacher training, and 5,600 universities. Most teaching is done in English, which is Ghana’s official language. Students are enrolled in a nursery school and kindergarten prior to their 6-year primary education at age six. Under educational reforms implemented in 1987, they continue on into a new junior secondary school system for 3 years of academic training combined with technical and vocational training, where they pass a Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Those who want to continue with their education move into the 3-year senior secondary school program. Most of the senior secondary schools provide boarding facilities in which most of the students use. Students choose classes that will reflect courses available in the universities. At the end of the 3-year course in the senior secondary schools students are required to write an exam called West African Senior Secondary Certificate Exam (WASSCE). There are many educational reforms that are currently taking place and the education system is sure to continue to evolve. Some of the many laws, policy documents and reports, which have helped in meeting the educational, needs of the Ghanaian people include: • The Education Act of 1961 • The Dzobo Report of 1973 (Recommended the JSS Concept) • The New Structure and Content of Education 1974 • The Education Commission Report on Basic and Secondary Education 1987/88. • The Education Reform Programme 1987/88 • The University Relationalization Committee Report 1988 • The Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education Programme, 1996. (1992 Constitution) • The FCUBE Policy Document and Programme of Operations, 1996 • The Ghana Education Trust Fund - GET Fund Act 2000. (Act 581) These initiatives have enhanced the access, the quality of teaching, infrastructure, and management effectiveness of education in Ghana.

One of the oldest Institutes to learn foreign languages is the Ghana Institute of Languages. It is comprised of three branches in Accra, Kumasi, and Tamale. Moreover, the institute consists of three schools: the school of Languages, the school of Bilingual Secretary, and the school of Translation. Seven foreign modern languages are taught there: English, French, German, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and Arabic. In the 2008 academic year the institute had about 2,000 students enrolled.