Education Access Up, But Quality Swings – GSS Report

By Juliet ETEFE

A recent national education study has shown a considerable consistent growth in educational accessibility at every level within the nation; nonetheless, worries about the standard of education remain prevalent.

The report released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) underscores significant enhancements in both the Gross Enrolment Rate (GER) and Net Enrolment Rate (NER) across various educational stages including kindergarten, primary, junior high school (JHS), and senior high school (SHS).

Even with these advancements, inequalities in key metrics like the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR), Pupil to Trained Teacher Ratio (PTTR), and passing rates for fundamental subjects pose significant hurdles that require immediate consideration.

The report, Accessibility and Quality of Primary and Secondary Education in Ghana (2000 – 2023) offers statistics on enrollment, teacher presence, and student achievement in key subjects at junior high school (JHS) and senior high school (SHS), utilizing information from the Education Management Information System (EMIS).

Findings indicate that between 2001 and 2003 the kindergarten gross enrolment rate more than doubled from 51 percent to 122 percent, primary increased from 80 to 90 percent, JHS increased from 64 to 98 percent and SHS tripled from 25 to 72 percent.

Even with high Gross Enrolment Ratios (GER), data on net enrollment rates—which assess whether students are enrolled at the appropriate age—show that substantial numbers of pupils across all four educational stages were not within the typical age range. This often leads to a reduction in their working life span, thereby impacting pension contributions.

The statement also noted that in 2023, the Net Enrolment Rate (NER) for kindergartens stood at 66%, suggesting that approximately two out of every three children between the ages of 4 and 5 were attending kindergarten. Additionally, eighty percent (80%) of children within the 6 to 11-year range—meaning eight out of ten kids—were registered in primary schools. However, only forty-seven percent (47%), which is under half, of the students aged 12 to 14 were enrolled in Junior High School (JHS), reflecting an appropriate grade-level attendance rate.

Gender disparity

According to the report, inequalities between genders in terms of educational opportunities have diminished over time, reaching equality at the primary school stage. Nonetheless, discrepancies still remain when assessing the quality of education through core subjects' success rates.

Gender disparities in passing rates are more evident in English and Math as opposed to Science and Social Studies at both Junior High School and Senior High School levels.

For example, in the 2021 WASSCE exams, boys (70%) excelled more in mathematics compared to girls (60%), whereas girls had a better performance rate in English with (60% passing) as opposed to boys at (50%).

Quality across regions

The report additionally pointed out that the quality of educational records shows significant disparities between different areas when compared to access to education.

For example, the student-to-instructor ratio in the Northern, Northeastern, and Savannah regions exceeds 50 students for each qualified teacher—this is over double the figure for Greater Accra, which stands at 25 students per qualified instructor.

Differences were noted in the passing rates for main subjects; the Bono regions had the highest WASSCE Mathematics passing rates in 2019, nearly five times higher than the rate in the North East region (21.0 percent), which reported the lowest passing rate.

"Larger discrepancies were noted in the English passing rates, where the highest performing region, Bono (with a rate of 75.3 percent), showed passing percentages over tenfold greater compared to those recorded in two other regions — North East at 5.1 percent and Savannah at 8.0 percent," the statement read.

In terms of regional performance, the Greater Accra and Ashanti regions remain ahead regarding gross enrollment rates as well as net enrollment rates for both primary and secondary schools. The Eastern and Central regions have similarly made advancements, notably in their Net Enrollment Rates, suggesting consistent improvement in getting more children registered within the correct age range.

Conversely, the Northern, North East, and Savannah regions fall short of national averages, showing consistent enrollment disparities that indicate continued difficulties in educational accessibility.

The Gender Parity Index (GPI) has seen improvement across most areas, with the Volta and Bono regions showing nearly equal involvement from both boys and girls.

Nonetheless, inequalities persist in the Northern and Upper West Regions, with female involvement lagging behind. Concerning teacher proficiency, the Pupil to Trained Teacher Ratio (PTTR) continues to be an issue in these northern areas, as inadequate numbers of qualified educators keep impacting educational standards.

The Greater Accra and Western regions have seen comparatively higher PTTRs, yet enhancements are necessary throughout all areas to achieve the set policy objectives.

In terms of pass rates, the Greater Accra, Ashanti, and Bono regions saw the highest scores in both the BECE and WASSCE exams, indicating comparatively better educational achievements. On the contrary, the Northern, North East, and Savannah regions had the lowest pass rates in these tests; however, the North East region performed notably well in the BECE compared to others.

Policy targets

The report also included details about advancements towards policy goals outlined in the Education Strategic Plan (2018 – 2030). It indicates that although certain benchmarks such as gross enrollment rates, gender equality, and student-to-teacher ratios have been achieved at various tiers, nationwide objectives for net enrollment have not been met across all four educational stages.

In his keynote speech, Minister for Education Haruna Iddrisu emphasized that the findings would offer crucial information to guide debates and policy choices of the National Education Forum Planning Committee—“making sure our approaches are based on evidence and consistent with national goals.” This statement came following an overview of the main points from the report by government statistician Professor Samuel Kobina Annim.

The minister highlighted the importance of increased funding at the grassroots level to tackle inequalities—especially for children who require specialized educational support—and closing the quality divide between rural and urban schooling as well as between public and private schools.

He pointed out that although initiatives have been taken to broaden access to secondary education, the nation hasn’t sufficiently equipped its higher educational institutions to accommodate the increasing student population.

Referring to a UNESCO study, he pointed out that overfilled classrooms, insufficient auditoriums, and sparse dormitory facilities are significant issues impacting education at higher levels.

To tackle these issues, he revealed the government's intention to implement the National Research Fund this year and initiate a PhD program. Scholarship Initiative through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) to provide public universities with financial support for training undergraduate students, with the aim of strengthening faculty development.

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