SECONDARY EDUCATION
7.1 A significant achievement has been made in the provision of educational opportunity at the junior secondary education level. About 95% of primary school leavers now go on to Form 1 compared to 35% in 1977. Government has provided a nation – wide network of schools with reasonably adequate resources and with provision for communities to participate in the running of schools. The expansion at this level has had a number of consequences. The student body is now composed of a wider range of abilities. The Junior Certificate is devalued on the labour market and cannot now be accepted as minimum qualification for entry into many training institutions. Furthermore the very rapid expansion of this level has put the system under enormous strain in relation to management, supply of teachers and curriculum stability.
7.2
At the senior secondary level, even though enrolments have increased in
absolute terms, the proportion of junior secondary leavers progressing to this
level has fallen. The curriculum is relatively restrictive and diversification
attempts to include technical and commercial subjects have been limited.
Examinations at this level are yet to be localised.
7.3 Government is still committed to providing universal access to junior secondary education. However, in order to enhance the employability and the capacity for further training of junior secondary leavers, the goals and content of the programme will be revised to emphasise the pre-vocational preparation through the following:
(i) Vocational orientation of academic subjects.
(ii)
Increasing the number of practical subjects offered.
(iii)
Emphasising foundation skills applicable to work situation such as problem
solving, self-presentation, team- work and computing.
(iv) Relating the curriculum to the world of work by offering both curricular and co-curricular activities that espouse the processes and organisation of production and demands of working life.
(v)
Career Guidance and Counselling
7.4
At the senior secondary level, Government recognises the need to expand
access at this level in order to meet the demand for people with this level of
qualification both by the economy and further training institutions. Government
has already embarked on the localisation of