COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A ONE-DAY COLLOQUIUM ORGANISED BY THE INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATIONAL PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION (IEPA) ON 2ND JULY, 2019 AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE COAST
Within its vision of becoming a strategic Centre of Excellence in educational planning, research and training of educational planners, administrators, managers and leaders in Africa, the IEPA held a multi-stakeholder colloquium on the theme: The role of educational planning in enhancing Ghana’s educational system: access, quality and relevance at the University of Cape Coast’s Main Auditorium under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor. The objective of the colloquium was to stimulate stakeholder dialogue on educational planning and IEPA’s role in improving educational planning and management within the West Africa Sub-Region. The keynote speaker, panel discussants, guest speaker and participants were drawn from the various sectors and levels of education across Ghana. During the proceeding, the following observations were made:
1. Access to education remains a topical issue, particularly at the junior and senior high school levels.
2. Quality issues in education and schooling remain critical in Sub-Region.
3. Low learning outcomes, accountability and relevance.
4. Limited number of UNESCO Category II Institutes with a focus on educational planning.
5. Strategic planning and policy disconnect among major education stakeholders.
6. Poor implementation of decentralization of the education structures.
7. Dwindling attention and resources to basic education provision and staff under-utilization.
8. Necessity of and the link between management efficiency and planning efficiency.
9. Low number of educational planners in the Ghanaian education sector at both system and institutional levels.
Recommendations
At the end of the colloquium, the participants agree on the following recommendations:
1. MoE needs to provide continuous support for IEPA to become a UNESCO Category II Institute to help address the education sector needs of the Sub-Region.
2. The MoE/GES need to foster new partnership and build on the existing relationship with the IEPA to make educational planning more relevant to the needs of countries within the Sub-Region.
3. IEPA should work closely with MOE/NCTE/GES and other relevant agencies to develop targeted planning and implementation programmes for policymakers and implementers.
4. IEPA should be supported to carry out its mandate in the design, implementation and evaluation of educational plans as well as capacity building efforts in education.
5. IEPA should provide the key strategic agenda and policy directions to improve education
6. IEPA need to collaborate with relevant ministries and agencies in developing evidence-based policies and programmes to address the realities of education in the Sub-Region.
7. IEPA should train more educational planners and researchers to support educational institutions at the school, district, regional as well as national levels.
Conclusion
With relevant support from and collaborations with government and non-governmental organisations and agencies, IEPA is well positioned and resourced to contribute meaningfully to the planning and management of education sectors within the Sub-Region for improved equitable access, quality and relevance of lifelong learning.