The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary education (MBSSE) will be rolling out the new curriculum for senior secondary school across the country in the 2023/2024 Academic Year which will start in September this year.
The new curriculum will replace the usual three streams (Commercial, Art, and Science) with 5 new streams which range from Science and Technology, Language and Literature; Social and Cultural Studies; Economics, Business, and Entrepreneurship, Mathematics and Numeracy.
According to the ministry, the main aim for the introduction of the new curriculum is to ensure pupils have flexibility and choice in subjects they choose to offer. It also focuses on preparing the learners for the new job market, as there is a rapid change across the globe.
However, each stream will have three subjects categories— core subjects, 3 applied subjects, and 3 everyday subjects.
The Director of Research and Curriculum Development, Osman Kamara said the MBSSE has assessed all the SSS schools and allocated subject streams according to their strengths and distributed streams to Senior Secondary Schools based on their capacities.
“We trained education stakeholders for their involvement in the implementation of the SSS Curriculum Framework and its 76 subject syllabuses, we have read and reviewed books provided by partners for approval before they go to our schools,” he said.
He noted the ministry has printed all the 76 syllabuses, and they are presently uploading teaching and learning materials for the new SSS subjects and research documents on the Learning Passport for teachers and learners, adding that the ministry is working with partners to train trainers on the interpretation of the Basic Education Curriculum and Syllabuses for onward training of teachers.
The goal, according to Kamara, is to ensure that Senior Secondary School education benefits learners & communities in all districts, going beyond performance in WASSCE, adding that SSS education is a final opportunity for schools to equitably empower learners, and help to develop society, by, addressing national priorities, catering for learners well-being and opening up access to 21st century skills and learning.
“Instead of imposing fixed sets of compulsory subjects on learners, the new curriculum seeks to unleash the potential of learners by allowing greater choice of subjects based on their interests, preferences, and ambitions (with guidance & counseling). Syllabus for the 3-year SS cycle was developed for each of the 76 subjects, and designed to provide maximum support to teachers and schools in implementing the curriculum,” he said.
He stated that the new syllabuses provide comprehensive and highly relevant coverage in terms of the content (topics) selected and outlined for each subject.
Augustine Sankoh
Strategic Communications Analyst MBSSE
