Gov’t approves reform in basic school Social studies subject – MoE

The central government has given the Ministry of Education approval to undertake reform in Social Studies subject for basic school, the Minister for Education and Bosomtwe Member of Parliament Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has said.

“The President (Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo) has given us approval to undertake a reform in Social Studies. In any country, Social Studies encompass history, geography {and} economics

Previously Form One students read history and in Form Three when a student opted for science, he left these history aspects. Later, through some educational reforms, history was taken out of the subjects,” the Education Minister said

At a meeting with the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs, the Minister of Education said the Social Studies reform is meant to imbibe love and patriotism into basic school students in the country while growing up.

“People nag over the lack of patriotism in the upcoming generation but how can a child love a country he/she is alien to? The child has no idea of the history of the country. Except for history students in high school, all others are ignorant about their country,” he noted.

In a related development, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) effective next academic year says it will withdraw the Our World Our People (OWOP) subject for basic schools from the Standards-Based Curriculum.

In a statement shared with Thisterm.com, NaCCA ” Management of the Council has decided to withdraw the subject “Our World Our People from the Standards-Based curriculum. This will take effect from the next academic year.”

The Curriculum Council giving reason for the withdrawal of the OWOP subject said it has reviewed and compared the Religious and Moral Education (RME) and Our World and Our People and noticed both subjects have similarities.

“NaCCA has done a critical review and comparison of the Religious and Moral Education and Our World and Our People. Our review of both curricula indicates similar sub-strands and focal areas, indicating similarities

The situation amounts to a repetition of knowledge between both curricula. Beyond this, we have received feedback from teachers expressing similar observations made by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment,” it said.

According to NaCCA, withdrawal of the OWOP will help enrich the Standard-Based Curriculum Ghana has adopted and enable learners to understand the curriculum since facilitators will now be able to focus on the individual strands as captured in the Religious and Moral Education.