Situating Ghana’s Policy Making and Reform Strategies on Basic Education in the MDG2 and EFA Strategies; what is The Interplay between National and International in Policy Making?

Abstract

Over the years Ghana has made significant commitments towards achieving universal basic education in line with the MDG 2 and EFA goals. These commitments are reflected in several policy reforms documents, reports and programmes she has implemented since 1951. This article, examines Ghana’s educational policy making and reforms process particularly, on basic education. Using the MDGs and Education for All (EFA) Framework of Action as benchmarks, and the human rights as a theoretical lens, it tries to explore the intricacies between the global and the local in policy making in education. It concludes that for individual nations like Ghana to benefit sustainably from this interplay, there is the need to strike a balance and two way channels of communications between local and international interests groups in the formulation and implementation of policies on education. This will whip up the needed support to drive the implementation of education policies and programmes to maximize the needed outcome in access, equity, quality and relevance in education. Also, given the inequalities that still exist in her basic education, there is the need for the nation to continue to commit herself to the human rights approach to education.