ELS; MBN360 EDUCATION
spokesperson for the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Education Policy Committee, Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh
Spokesperson for the New Patriotic Party’s Education Policy Committee, Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh, has raised concerns about the administrative relationship between the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES), arguing that the distinction between policy formulation and implementation must remain clear.
Dr Tandoh said the Ministry of Education is responsible for formulating education policy, while the GES is mandated to implement policies approved and transmitted by the Ministry.
He said any arrangement that creates uncertainty over these respective functions could undermine administrative clarity within the education sector.
According to Dr Tandoh, officers of the GES may contribute technical input during the policy development stage, but once a policy has been formulated, the GES’s primary responsibility is implementation.
He therefore questioned the description of a process in which the Ministry would transmit a policy to the GES for recommendations before the Ministry proceeds to implement it, arguing that such an arrangement could blur institutional responsibilities.
“The Ministry of Education is the policy formulator and the Ghana Education Service is the policy implementer. When the Ministry transmits a policy to the GES, it is transmitting it for implementation, and that distinction needs to be maintained,”Dr Tandoh
He said the distinction was particularly important where policy decisions affect recruitment, curriculum, assessment and school-level administration, because unclear institutional responsibilities could complicate accountability when implementation challenges arise.
Concerns Over NaCCA Communication
He further argued that public communication should reflect the established administrative structure, enabling schools, parents and other stakeholders to identify which institution is responsible for policy decisions and which body is responsible for execution and monitoring outcomes across the education system overall.
Dr Tandoh also raised questions about recent communication associated with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), particularly where statements attributed to the institution appear to differ from information contained in other official records.
He said the Minister of Education, as the political head responsible for the Ministry and the supervising authority over NaCCA, should examine the circumstances surrounding the conflicting communications and determine whether the institution is operating within its mandate.
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Dr Tandoh, however, stopped short of calling for the removal of the Director-General of NaCCA, stressing that such a decision falls within the appropriate institutional authority.
Edupac Arrangement Raises Questions
Dr. Tandoh addressed concerns from parents regarding the procurement of items listed on school prospectuses through Edupac.
He said the arrangement, as understood by the party, involved communication between the Ministry, the GES and Edupac, with the company being given some preference to provide required educational materials to parents at an estimated cost of about GH¢1,700, subject to the specific items required.
Dr Tandoh said the arrangement raises questions about how the procurement of school materials is organised and its implications for local businesses that traditionally supply such items to parents.
“We initially raised concerns because educational materials are supplied through businesses across the country, and concentrating the supply through one arrangement could affect those local enterprises.”Dr Tandoh
According to Dr Tandoh, the Ministry and the GES should establish whether complaints about difficulties in accessing the required materials through Edupac are isolated or widespread.
He said the scale of the problem should determine the appropriate administrative response, including whether affected parents require direct assistance and whether the existing procurement arrangement needs to be reviewed.
Need For Clear Institutional Roles
Dr Tandoh’s submissions place emphasis on the need for clearly defined responsibilities across Ghana’s education administration, particularly between the Ministry of Education, the GES and specialised agencies such as NaCCA.
He said maintaining clear lines of authority is essential to ensure that policies are developed, communicated and implemented through established institutional processes.
He further indicated that where official information appears inconsistent, the responsible authorities should establish the source of the discrepancy and provide clear communication to the public.
On the concerns surrounding Edupac, he said the Ministry and GES should assess the effectiveness of the arrangement and provide appropriate remedies where parents encounter difficulties.
The submissions come amid ongoing public attention to the administration of Ghana’s pre-tertiary education system, including policy implementation, institutional coordination and the logistical requirements facing families during the school resumption period.
