Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has said that schools in Ghana and in other African countries should adopt what he calls Assertive Curriculum.
This curriculum, he explained, will empower the African African child to ask questions and challenge the status quo.
In his view, the current way of teaching and learning where students are taught every thing from the text books by their teachers and are assessed in examination, is not helpful.
It does not make them critical thinkers, he stressed.
Dr Adutwum said these when speaking at the ‘Transforming Education’ Summit at 77th session of the United Nation’s General Assembly on Thursday September 22.
The Bosomtwe Member of Parliaments said “I go to schools upon schools and I speak with the students, when I finish speaking with them I will ask, do you have a question for me? And no hand goes up. A hand is yet to go up in all my encounters in Ghanaian classrooms.
“We have tamed the children, we just want them to write down what we tell them, at the day of exam they should put down what we have told them and say, you you are the best student the country has seen.
“That kind of education system will not transform Ghana that kind of education system is not going to give us the critical thinking individuals especially since we are in the 21st Century.”
He added “You can’t memorize your way out of poverty but you can critically think and innovate out of poverty.
“So Ghana schools, African schools have to begin to take serious look at what I will call assertive curriculum, a curriculum that empowers the African African child to ask questions and challenge the status quo respectfully within the African tradition context.”
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana