Former Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has criticized the government’s proposed National Education Forum, describing it as a waste of resources.
The forum, set to begin on Tuesday, February 18, will culminate in a two-day validation conference on February 27 in Accra. It will start in Ho, the Volta Regional capital, with the first zonal engagement for the Volta and Oti regions before expanding to other regions.
In an interview on Channel One TV on Monday, February 17, Fordjour questioned the necessity of the forum, emphasizing the need for the Mahama administration to focus on implementing its proposed education policies instead.
“We do not need a national education forum to set a vision for President Mahama. As president, he had ample time to campaign and set out a team to draft the manifesto. During that period, his vision should have been clear,” Fordjour said.
He pointed out that President Mahama had made specific promises related to education, and the public is now expecting the government to deliver on those commitments.
These include the extension of the Free SHS policy to private schools, payment of first-year fees for tertiary students in public institutions, and the cancellation of the double-track system.
Fordjour argued that the forum would be redundant, given the existence of a comprehensive education strategic plan developed since 2018, which spans from 2018 to 2030.
“The forum is nothing new. It will be a waste of time and resources,” he asserted.
He noted that the existing strategic plan, aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), was developed with input from various stakeholders, including education experts, civil society organizations (CSOs), and both local and international development partners.
Fordjour urged the Mahama administration to focus on implementing the existing plan and fulfilling its campaign promises rather than organizing a new forum.