Introduction Basic education is conceptualised as a range of educational activities that help students meet their basic learning needs.
It is a foundation for lifelong learning and human development.
Though basic education can take place in formal, non-formal, and informal settings, in Ghana, basic education is formal and comprises pre-school, primary classes from 1-6, and Junior High School forms 1-3, which is compulsory.
Some Current Challenges in Basic Education Unfortunately, basic education has suffered nearly eight years of neglect under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government, leading to a crisis characterised by: Dilapidated structures and a huge infrastructural deficit that has increased the number of schools under trees to over 5000; Inadequate, and in some cases, lack of textbooks after six years of the introduction of a new curriculum; Acute furniture deficit, manifested in lack of furniture for over two million pupils in basic schools; Irregular payment of capitation grants resulting in arrears equivalent to eight terms; A poor nutrition diet due to the appallingly low allocations for school feeding and government's heavy indebtedness to caterers; Inadequate and, in some cases, lack of teachers, especially in rural and underserved communities; Erratic supply of lesson notebooks and other required supplies to teachers, compelling teachers to buy such supplies themselves, and Inadequate and, in some cases, lack of sanitary facilities and non-payment of water and electricity bills.