By Enock Akonnor (Managing Editor) enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
Ghana’s Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has called on teachers across the country to intensify efforts to improve learning outcomes, particularly in students’ ability to apply knowledge, think critically, and communicate effectively.
Speaking at the 54th National Delegates Conference of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) at the University of Professional Studies, Accra, the Minister said the future of Ghana’s development remains inseparable from the work of teachers.
Hon. Iddrisu, who accompanied former President John Dramani Mahama to the conference, said reflections on five decades of the Ghana Education Service reveal a clear truth: every milestone in Ghana’s development bears the imprint of a teacher.
“Behind every engineer, nurse, farmer, entrepreneur, civil servant and political leader is a classroom, and a teacher who laid the foundation,” he noted, describing GNAT as a central institution not only in shaping the teaching profession but also in strengthening the nation’s social contract around education.
He reaffirmed the Ministry of Education’s recognition of GNAT as a critical partner in education reform, stressing that progress in the sector must be built on dialogue, trust and shared responsibility rather than blame or division.
Addressing learning outcomes, the Minister urged teachers to “up their game” to help improve performance in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), citing findings from the 2025 WASSCE Chief Examiner Reports.
According to him, the reports across core subjects; English Language, Mathematics, Integrated Science and Social Studies show that while many students demonstrate basic knowledge and familiarity with concepts, they struggle to apply that knowledge to real-life situations, interpret information critically, reason through unfamiliar problems, and express ideas clearly and coherently.
He explained that in Social Studies, candidates often understood concepts but found it difficult to apply them to societal issues.
In Mathematics, students performed better on procedural questions than on application and interpretation tasks. Similar weaknesses were observed in English Language, particularly in grammar, vocabulary and expression, while Integrated Science candidates struggled with practical reasoning and scientific application.
Hon. Iddrisu was quick to stress that the findings should not be seen as an indictment of teachers.
“Rather, they are a signal that, as a system, we must better support teaching for understanding, application and higher-order thinking,” he said.
The Minister reiterated government’s commitment to working closely with teachers and their unions to strengthen teaching and learning outcomes across the country.
Enock Akonnor is an experienced Ghanaian journalist, based in Kumasi and currently serves as the CEO and Managing Editor of www.leakyghana.com.
With a wealth of expertise built over many years in the media industry, he has earned a solid reputation as one of Ghana’s most sought-after journalists.
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