General News of Wednesday, 17 April 2019

Source: starrfm.com.gh

JB Danquah not being projected over Nkrumah in new Curriculum – NaCCA

Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah Ghana's first President, Kwame Nkrumah

The National Council for Curriculum & Assessment (NaCCA) has denied reports on social media that newly developed curriculum projects the achievement of Stateman JB Danquah over Ghana’s first President Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

According to NaCCA, the curriculum is structured to enable pupils learn the history of the country from the beginning and then progress with the personalities and events in a chronological manner.

“History is chronological and periodical in nature. The period covered in the history curriculum at the primary level focuses mainly on the pre-independent events that formed the basis for the later development of political activities which contributed to the independence of Ghana. At this stage Dr. J. B. Danquah played a prominent role. It is therefore important for our young learners to appreciate the chronology of the events of our political history.

“At the JHS and SHS levels, the history curriculum will highlight further details on the independence and post-independence political activities. This is where Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and other political leaders and regimes feature more prominently.

“The experts who designed the curriculum were not selected on the basis of any political considerations, and it is unfortunate for anyone to suggest otherwise. The likes of Prof. Kwame Osei Kwarteng, Prof. Wilson Yayoh, Dr. Samuel Boadi Siaw, Mrs. Anitha Adu-Boahen and other historians who worked on the History Curriculum are all scholars of great repute and proven integrity who have nothing to gain by skewing historical facts one way or the other. For quality assurance, the curriculum was reviewed by Professor Emeritus D. E. K. Amenumey,” a statement issued by the NaCCA said Wednesday.

The statement further ” Whilst NaCCA appreciates and values public feedback on the new curriculum as an important element in helping to improve learning outcomes through a robust and responsive curriculum, we wish to state for the avoidance of doubt that our work is based mainly on academic and professional considerations.

NaCCA looks forward to receiving more feedbacks from the public on the new curriculum. Further, NaCCA wishes to thank the public for the generally warm reception given to the new standards-based curriculum”.