Accra, April 16, GNA - There have been shortfalls in the implementation of the educational reforms that introduced the Junior and Senior Secondary concept, Mr. Baba Jamal, Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress has said. The authorities under the next NDC government would not hesitate to

review it to ensure its proper and full implementation, he said. Mr Jamal said this on Friday when he addressed students of the Social Work Department of the University of Ghana on the occasion of their annual week celebration.

The students, as part of the week's activities invited representatives of political parties to address them on party's manifestoes on policies regarding the rights of women and children vis-=E0-vis the 2004 elections.

Mr Jamal said there was the need to increase the number of years for the Junior and Secondary schools programme. He said, having been in opposition for nearly four years, the NDC had realised its mistakes saying, "You can do things better when you have the opportunity to sit back and with the experience acquired, the NDC now stands a better ground to deliver the wishes and aspirations of Ghanaians.

The NDC has now adopted a new philosophy, which makes it a new party with new ideas and visions to translate the dreams of Ghana into the expected economic, social and political reality.

On women and children, Mr Jamal said issues regarding them would be at the centre stage of the party's programmes because matters of women touch the foundations of every nation.

"Any government's policy that fails to take into considerations women and children issues should expect disaster at the end of the tunnel," he said.