UNGA81: We are investing heavily in foundational learning – Dr. Apaak

Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak says the government is redirecting more resources towards foundational learning as part of efforts to address gaps and improve outcomes in Ghana’s education system.

Speaking at an education-focused event on the sidelines of the ongoing 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81), Dr. Apaak said the government was seeking to correct what he described as an imbalance in education spending, particularly after years of intense policy and political attention on secondary education.

He said the government’s priority is to strengthen the foundation of education, arguing that early investment would create opportunities for more children while reducing future costs.

“We believe that you get it right at the foundation. It saves cost, it is economically viable, and it allows for everyone to have an opportunity,” he said.

Dr. Apaak said the government was deliberately shifting resources towards foundational education while maintaining its commitment to secondary education.

“So the government’s attention is a foundational education, and we are pushing resources there. We are trying to balance our budget.”

According to him, the intense debate surrounding Free Senior High School over the past eight years has contributed to a concentration of resources at the secondary level, at the expense of basic education.

“Over the years, it has been lopsided, particularly in favor of secondary education,” he said.

“And because of the overtly politicized nature of secondary education, a lot of the resources were being pushed there, to the detriment of basic education.”

He stressed that the government’s decision to prioritise foundational learning should not be interpreted as a reduction in the importance attached to secondary education.

“Now we are trying to bring about equity. So we are not saying secondary education is not important. It is. But so is basic education.”

Dr. Apaak said the government was also concerned about children who do not progress from basic to secondary education, arguing that greater attention must be paid to their educational needs.

“And if we consider the numbers, there are a lot more people who do not make it from basic to secondary. What do we do with that?”

He said the government’s foundational learning strategy would focus on four key areas: language literacy, science literacy, mathematics literacy, and cultural literacy.

“The first one is what we call language literacy. The second one is science literacy. The third one is mathematic literacy,” he said.

“And the fourth one we have added is cultural literacy.”

The renewed focus on foundational learning forms part of the government’s broader efforts to improve learning outcomes at the basic level, including the integration of play-based approaches into Ghana’s education system.