Afenyo-Markin demands urgent national dialogue over Ghana’s education challenges

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has called for a national dialogue to tackle Ghana's education system issues, citing recent WASSCE and BECE results as proof of serious challenges. In a Facebook post, he expressed worry over performance in Core Mathematics and English Language, where 183,233 candidates failed to get a credit in the former and the credit pass rate in the latter dropped to 62.40%, the lowest in four years.

Afenyo-Markin also highlighted problems in the BECE school placement process, noting that 54,985 candidates were initially denied placement while some who didn't need special schools were placed there, and others found no space upon arrival at their assigned schools. He questioned how this could be when government figures show 859,828 vacancies for 623,072 candidates.

Afenyo-Markin warned that over 200,000 young Ghanaians may be left behind at different points in the secondary education system based on these figures. He urged the government to publish final placement results, clarify placement rules and pass marks, and provide funds for teaching, remedial programs, and alternative pathways into TVET, apprenticeships, and skills development for students who fail to meet the required WASSCE credits.

The Minority Leader also defended previous NPP policies like Free SHS and Free TVET, asserting they aimed to ensure that poverty or examination results wouldn't permanently bar young people from further education or skill development.