Parading the corridors of strategic and transformation thinking to change public school uniforms is a big joke

Parading the corridors of strategic thinking with changing uniform ideas is a big joke being engaged in  by the current leadership of the education sector.

The news that the government, through the Ministry of Education, is seeking to change the Kokonte and Abenkwan uniforms, which public schools have been using for decades, demonstrates that our leadership does prioritize simple issues over complex problems.

We have lost focus because we are paying attention to less important changes and turning molds into mountains out of these changes.

Not long ago, the basic 7-9 students had a change of uniform under this government. Are you aware of that? There is going to be another change of uniforms. Leap-frogging strategies and decisions such as these prove that we do not engage in long-term thinking and planning for the betterment of our education sector and the future of our learners in this country.

Despite efforts over the past three years to change Junior High School uniforms, many basic 7-9 students still wear their Kokonte and Abenkwan uniforms from primary six to complete their education at the JHS level. Hence he earlier attempt to alter the uniforms have to some extent failed.

The general public has reacted to the latest developments concerning the changing of uniforms for public basic schools as well as the decision to change the colour of school buildings from the usual golden yellow and brown, which match the uniforms of learners. Some public schools have painted their school buildings with white and deep ash, while their students don the infamous Kokonte and Abenkwan uniforms.

Parents, burdened with numerous obligations under the current government, will now have to provide their wards these new uniforms. Many parents do not plan to buy new uniforms, except for those whose children have problematic uniforms currently.

At a time when we still have public schools under trees, public schools without toilet facilities, public schools still using chalkboards or blackboards, public schools where students lack tables and chairs, and other schools where a single teacher teaches eight classes, we have politicians in leadership who deem changing the colour of school paints and uniforms to be transformative.

The government, under the leadership of the Education Ministry and NaCCA, changed the curriculum without anyone holding a gun to their head, yet they have failed to provide the needed textbooks and other teaching and learning resources for teachers and learners to make teaching and learning efficient and productive.

True transformation of our education at the basic school level should prioritize decent school buildings,  motivated and qualified teachers at post, schools with modern toilet and kitchens, libraries and labs attached or introduced in all schools and not the colours of the uniforms.

My questions that demand answers are:

1. Who requested that the school buildings and uniforms be rebranded by changing colour?
2. Who will pay for the uniforms?
3. Schools established by faith based organizations but managed by government have their own uniforms…are we going to force these schools to throw away their identity? Example the E.P Church basic schools wear a nice green uniform.
4. Is this going to be compulsory?
5. To what extent will changing uniforms and school building colours affect students’ academic performance at the BECE?
6. Are we going to change the colour of schools under trees?
7. Are the learners who sit on the floor in the hinterlands also going to change their uniforms and school building colours?
8. Where the learner already has no uniform, no decent school building, or learns in uncompleted school buildings, what building will we be painting for them?
9. Why should the government make changes to uniforms and repaint schools to reflect the new colour (blue and white) suggested by the Ministry of Education when there are so many under-resourced schools that can be revamped and renovated using the funds to be pumped into repainting schools.?

In deed, parading the corridors of strategic and transformation thinking to change public school uniforms a big joke.

In fact, with this decision, we have lost it as a nation on the education front. The Education Ministry is not leading the change that will transform the education sector by taking these decisions. Can you imagine what will happen to our schools if each child has a desk to sit on, textbooks to study with, and a motivated professional teacher to guide them? That will be a transformation we will all feel sincerely.

For some teachers, changing the school uniform in terms of colour is not necessary.

“Keep the Kokonte and Abenkwan uniform; it symbolizes our history and struggles. Let the current generation have a feel for the spirit of hard work and dedication this uniform carries.” Thank you” Citizen Kofi Bernard, a teacher, reacted as suggested to the decision to change the school uniform.

READ: Download 2024 BECE Sample Questions From GES and MoE

Truly, parading the corridors of strategic and transformation thinking to change public school uniforms a big joke.

Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, this is not a priority right now focus on the big issues. Ghanaian school children and teachers are challenging you to solve the big problems instead.

Source: Ghanaeducationnews.org | Wisdom Hammond

Email: wisdomkehammond@ghanaeducation.org