Back to Basics: Education quality expert calls for overhaul of teacher training and early years education

By Delores Esi BOAKYE

The founder of Education Quality Ghana, Dr. Jo-Jo Adusei-Poku, has issued a compelling call for Ghana to fundamentally review its early years education and the quality of its teacher training, tracing the root causes of poor secondary school performance to these foundational levels.

Her comments, made during an interview on Asaase Radio on December 2, 2025, came in response to the concerning performance trends in the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) across core subjects.

Dr. Adusei-Poku argued that the education system is an interconnected framework and we cannot begin to talk about fixing our Senior High School system without first tracing our steps back to  Early Childhood and Junior High School systems to identify what is broken  “So, before we even talk about fixing senior high school, we need to go back to the basics, to early years and junior high school.,” she stated. She explained further that a failing in one area affects the whole framework.

When pressed on the most urgent change needed, Dr. Adusei-Poku pinpointed the nation’s colleges of education. She proposed a significant raise in the minimum entry requirements, advocating for a shift from the current A1-C6 range to a stricter standard of A1 to B3. She explained that currently, we admit candidates with scores as low as C6, which translates to a percentage score of 50-54%.

She maintained a strong view that we must begin to view teaching as the high-status profession it is—one that, like Law or Medicine, should attract only top graduates. “Teachers make other professions and the quality of education in our country reflects the quality of training we give to our teachers,” she stated.

She emphasized that the quality of education nationwide is a direct reflection of the training teachers receive which suggests that if we desire excellence in our classrooms, we must first ensure excellence in our training colleges. Our focus, therefore, must start from the colleges of education.

Dr. Adusei-Poku cautioned that teaching is “not a walk in the park” and demands deep passion to perform at one’s best. “We need teachers who are passionate about transforming the lives of young people,” she stated. She argued that the demands of the teaching profession must be met with the level of respect that it deserved.

About Education Quality Ghana:

Education Quality Ghana is a specialist organization dedicated to embedding quality standards in educational institutions. Its services include expert advisory, educational project implementation and management, training and development, and comprehensive education research.

Email: [email protected]

Facebook/Instagram : Education Quality Ghana

Podcast: The Education Deep Dive available on Spotify, Podbean and YouTube

Website: www.educationqualitynetwork.com

The post Back to Basics: Education quality expert calls for overhaul of teacher training and early years education appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

Read Full Story