The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, says Ghana is poised to participate in next year's edition of the International Students Assessment (PISA) programme.

He explained that, the move, was not only to put the nation's education standard on the international platform but also to help measure the knowledge and skills of students for the right effort and measures to be put in place towards improving it.

Dr Adutwum, gave the hint at a breakfast meeting with sponsors of the Ghana Teacher Prize in Accra.

The event was organized by the National Teaching Council (NTC) to show appreciation to the sponsors for the continuous sponsorship of the programme.

A total of 19 sponsors were presented with Platinum, Diamond, Gold, Silver and Bronze awards respectively.

The recipients were the Trustees of the Ghana Education Service Pension Scheme, Tertiary Education Workers Union (TEWU), SICLIFE, IC Giving, Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Uni-Jay Foundation, Coalition for Concern Teachers (CCT) and Ghana Aids Commission.

The rest are National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), EPP Book Services, Innolink Ltd, Sabre Education, Investcorp, Glidco Pension, Data Bank Ltd, Petra Trust, and United Nation's International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Prudential Bank

PISA is the Organization for Economic Cooperation and development (OECD's) Programme for International Students Assessment.. 2021 marks its eighth cycle.

Every three years, PISA tests what 15-year-olds are able to do in reading, mathematics and science. The tests are designed to capture how students master certain skills such as reading strategies, problem solving in mathematics and critical reading in science, skills that are important beyond the classroom.

The Minister said, the government of Ghana was working hard to ensure that all Ghanaian children positioned themselves towards the attainment of critical thinking to enable them to be able to compete with children from any part of the globe.

"The Era of memorization should be done away with and let us see how best we train students to be critical thinkers to help push the nation's development agenda forward," he said.

Dr Adutwum said the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government was poised to put in place the right measures as well as the provision of the right resources to ensure that the nation's education marched-up with the 21st century needs.

The Education Minister lauded the various sponsors for their regular support towards the Ghana Teacher Prize, which went a long way to motivate teachers who were at the centre of the nation's education development.

Dr Christian Addai-Poku, Registrar for the NTC, praised the sponsors through whose effort an amount of One Million, and Forty-Five Thousand Ghana cedis (1,045,000.00) in cash and in kind, were donated towards the successful organization of the 2020 GTP which took place in Cape Coast.

He was upbeat that, the sponsors would continue to support the initiative which stood the chance of motivating teachers and other stakeholder towards improving the nation's education development.

The GTP programme is in recognition of the pivotal role teachers' play in education delivery.

Mr Nathaniel Otoo, Chairman, Ghana Education Service Occupational Pension Scheme (GESOPS) on behalf of the sponsors, pledge to continue supporting the GTP since it was worth supporting towards the development of the nation's education.

He said a strong educational system instilled in all a sense of national pride, and its development was always a cause worth contributing to and therefore called on all the sponsors and others to continue supporting the initiative for the good of the nation's future development.

"We pledge to continue this partnership for the development of excellence in education, as a crucial step towards the nation building that is necessary for our moving forward as a people, "Mr Otoo said.