The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) has refuted suggestions that the newly-introduced curriculum for history in basic schools seeks to downplay the legacy of Ghana’s first President Dr Kwame Nkrumah in favour of Dr J.B. Danquah, a member of the Big Six.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) has come under accusations of making attempts to rewrite Ghana’s history with amplifications of the role of Dr Danquah due to his family relations with President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Some critics have stated that the number of times and study period dedicated to Dr Danquah in the new syllabus far outweigh the time given for the study of Dr Nkrumah.
However, Chairman of the NaCCA, Prof Osei Kwarteng has said that it is not the case. He told Kwabena Prah Junior (The Don) on Accra 100.5FM’s Ghana Yensom programme that: “It is not so and I want all Ghanaians to know that anyone who says we are trying to re-write history then he/she does not even know history,” he stated.
According to the curriculum, students are expected to examine the sources of evidence about the role of Dr. Danquah in the Gold Coast Youth Conference and present a narrative of the role of Dr. Danquah in the Gold Coast Youth Conference.
The students will also make a field trip to Danquah Circle in Accra or his home where possible or be shown pictures of Danquah Circle in Accra for them to retell the story of Dr Danquah and the Gold Coast Youth Conference.
Prof Kwarteng pointed out that the new changes fall in line with the Africa Union (AU) guidelines for all African countries to include lessons of African history and culture in the syllabus by 2065.
Additionally, he noted that the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have proposed renewal of school curricula every 10 years but the country has failed to do that in the past decade hence the new introductions.
Meanwhile, an earlier press statement signed by Dr. Prince H. Armah, the Ag. Executive Secretary of NaCCA, also said the accusations put a “partisan political colouration” on the project, a situation NaCCA considers “regrettable”.
He said: “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”.
It explained that: “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”.
Source: Ghana/AccraFM.com
