We held education dialogue, but NPP boycotted it – Dr Apaak fires back at Afenyo-Markin

Deputy Minister for Education and Builsa South MP, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has rejected calls by Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin for a national conversation on Ghana’s education sector, saying the exercise has already been held.

Dr. Apaak in a statement said the Mahama administration organised the National Consultative Forum on Education in February 2025 to bring together stakeholders and build consensus on reforms to address challenges in the sector.

His response follows calls by Afenyo-Markin for an urgent national dialogue, citing concerns over the 2026 WASSCE results and the ongoing BECE school placement exercise.

President John Dramani Mahama opened the forum in Ho on February 18, 2025, under the theme “Transforming Education for Sustainable Future.”

Dr. Apaak said political parties were among the stakeholders invited to participate.

“Sadly, the NPP and its parliamentary wing chose to boycott,” Dr. Apaak said.

“As if that was not enough, they ridiculed us for organising the National Forum on Education. It therefore baffles me as to why the Minority Leader is today calling for a national conversation on education,” he added.

He said the government was already implementing recommendations from the consultative process, citing the establishment of the National Education Reform Secretariat within the Ministry of Education as evidence of its commitment.

“For his information, not only has that critical national conversation been held, we are busy implementing its outcome as called for by the people of Ghana,” he said.

Dr. Apaak also criticised the Minority Leader’s assessment of the 2026 WASSCE, BECE and school placement outcomes, accusing him of selectively presenting statistics to support a political narrative.

He maintained that the 2026 WASSCE results showed significant improvements in Core Mathematics, Integrated Science and Social Studies, although English Language performance declined.

He also defended the government’s position that the challenge with BECE placement was concentrated demand for particular schools rather than a national shortage of places.

Dr. Apaak further turned his attention to the previous NPP administration, saying the challenges now being highlighted emerged during the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, when Afenyo-Markin served as Majority Leader.

“The Minority Leader was not a passive member of the NPP when his party was in power, but its Leader in Parliament,” he said.

“Our educational system had almost collapsed under his watch as Majority Leader,” he added.

Dr. Apaak said the government remained focused on implementing education reforms and addressing weaknesses identified through the consultative process.

“If he truly wanted to stoke a serious national conversation on education, which has already happened, he ought to have begun with the complete set of facts, not cherry-picked data calculated to fuel a partisan narrative,” he said.

He called for the education debate to focus on evidence-based interventions, examination integrity, improved learning outcomes and reforms that serve the long-term interests of Ghanaian students.