Former Deputy Minister of Education, Rev. John Ntim Fordjour, has criticised the government’s proposed National Education Forum, describing it as an unnecessary expenditure that drains Ghana’s resources.

According to him, the forum serves no meaningful purpose and the government should rather focus on implementing its proposed education policies without delay.

The National Education Forum is set to begin on Tuesday, 18th February, with regional engagements kicking off in Ho, the Volta Regional capital.

The discussions will later extend to other regions, culminating in a two-day validation conference in Accra from Thursday, 27th February.

However, Fordjour has questioned its necessity, insisting that the Mahama administration already has a clear education vision outlined in its campaign promises.

Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on Monday, 17th February, Fordjour argued that President Mahama had ample time during his campaign to define his education policies.

"I must say that we do not need a national education forum to be able to set a vision for President Mahama because, as a president having ample time to campaign, having set out a team to draft your manifesto, it is supposed that within that period your vision is cut out," he asserted.

Mr Fordjour emphasised that Ghanaians expect action, not prolonged discussions.

He pointed out that the government should be focused on fulfilling its promises, such as extending the Free SHS policy to private schools, paying first-year fees for tertiary students in public institutions, and abolishing the double-track system.

He stressed that these commitments should be reflected in the upcoming budget statement rather than being subjected to further deliberations.

He concluded by stating that the government should not waste time and resources on additional forums but should instead work towards implementing policies that directly benefit students, parents, and the education sector at large.