‘Teachers need freedom, not scripts’ – Prof. Akyeampong calls for classroom reform

Distinguished Ghanaian educationist and global thought leader, Professor Kwame Akyeampong, has emphasized the importance of teacher agency in Ghana’s education system, cautioning against over-reliance on scripted lessons.

He made the call during the launch of his latest book, co-authored with Dr. Sean Higgins, titled “Reconceptualising the Learning Crisis in Africa: Multi-dimensional Pedagogies of Accelerated Learning Programmes”, held recently in Accra.

Professor Akyeampong, Professor of International Education and Development and Founding Director of the Center for the Study of Global Development at the Open University (UK), highlighted the growing preference in Ghana for structured lesson plans.

He noted that while such approaches can be useful, they should not undermine the professionalism and expertise of teachers.

“The point we make in the book is not that interventions such as structured or scripted lessons are inherently wrong. Rather, we argue that they must be introduced in ways that allow engagement with teachers’ existing practices. Lessons must be re-contextualized and adapted to different classroom environments,” he explained.

He emphasized that it is detrimental when teachers are given scripts over which they have no input.

“It is a great disservice to the education system when teachers are given scripted lessons in which they have no input. Children are not the same. So I strongly oppose any scripted approach that dictates exactly what a teacher must say at a specific time for learning to occur,”
he said, drawing on his own experience as a teacher who planned and sometimes memorized lessons.

Professor Akyeampong emphasized that teachers must remain active participants in the learning process, analyzing, adapting, and reshaping lessons to suit the changing needs of their students throughout the school year.

“Whatever form structured lessons take, teachers must remain active participants, analyzing, adapting, and reshaping them. I trained as a teacher myself; I planned my lessons and sometimes even memorized them. We should not reach a point where teachers neglect lesson planning entirely in favor of scripts. Contexts change throughout the school year. We cannot expect one script to work for every learner,” he added.

He further observed that while the international community often promotes scripted lessons as tools to address learning deficits, such approaches risk de-professionalizing teachers if not properly supported.

“It is our responsibility to create the conditions in which teachers can effectively engage with students, and too often that supportive environment is what is missing. When we rely solely on scripts, we risk de-professionalizing teachers, reducing their role simply to following instructions. Our aim should be to empower teachers, not diminish their agency,” he stated.

By: Bawa Musah

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