Matthew Opoku Prempeh has said that the educational system in Ghana, particularly before the introduction of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program, had significant shortcomings when it came to contact hours—an essential factor in student success.
According to NAPO, the previous structure of the system, which operated under a three-term system, meant that students were receiving fewer contact hours compared to those following the semester system, a situation that directly impacted their academic outcomes.
Speaking in an interview with Channel One’s Umaru Sanda, NAPO discussed the impact of the system on student performance, noting that prior to Free SHS, the nine-term, three-year program was inherently flawed.
“Before Free SHS, I kept telling you that the SSS program was a nine-term program, but it didn’t reflect in the actual contact hours for the students,” he said.
NAPO elaborated that, in the past, final-year students often started their external exams as early as February, which meant that they missed out on two full terms of classroom interaction.
“This reduction in contact hours directly impacted their preparation and overall performance,” he explained. According to NAPO, this limitation was one of the key factors that hindered the quality of education during that time.
Reflecting on the differences between the three-year and four-year education system, NAPO pointed out that when the duration of secondary education was extended, students had more time to engage with their studies, leading to better outcomes.
“There is a direct link between contact hours and performance. In years when we extended the duration of secondary education, results improved. The more contact hours, the better the outcomes,” he emphasized.
However, NAPO acknowledged that increasing contact hours within a three-year framework posed challenges, particularly in terms of scheduling and infrastructure.
He noted that achieving similar success in the three-year program would require full optimization of available resources, a challenge that Ghana faced during the period before the introduction of Free SHS.
The former Education Minister also stressed that increasing contact hours was a central goal when the Free SHS program was introduced.
He pointed out that this was one of the areas the government sought to address in order to give students more time with their teachers and curriculum.
This focus on expanding contact hours, NAPO explained, would go a long way in ensuring that students received the academic support they needed to succeed.
