Alex Kyeremeh calls for mental fitness tests for NPP’s running mate

Mr. Alex Kyeremeh, the former Deputy Minister for Education in charge of Pre-Tertiary Education, has called for individuals seeking leadership positions to undergo mental fitness tests to verify their soundness of mind. His remarks came in response to comments made by Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) running mate, during a tour in the Ashanti Region.

According to Mr. Kyeremeh, Dr. Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, often speaks in ways that raise questions about his mental soundness.

He emphasized the importance of testing the mental fitness of those seeking high-ranking positions in the country to ensure they are capable of handling the responsibilities that come with such roles.

Mr. Kyeremeh’s comments were in reaction to a statement attributed to Dr. Prempeh, in which the NPP’s Vice Presidential Candidate alleged that the National Democratic Congress (NDC), under the leadership of then-President John Dramani Mahama, introduced a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) curriculum into the basic education system.

Dr. Prempeh reportedly claimed that this introduction was done by the then-Minister for Tertiary Education, Samuel Okudjeto- Ablakwa, in collaboration with some chiefs and imams, and suggested that this was one of the reasons Mr. Mahama was a one-term President, unlike his predecessors who served two terms.

Responding on the Ghana Yensom morning show hosted by Otafrigya Kayire Kwesi Appea-Apreku on Accra 100.5 FM on Monday, October 7, 2024, Mr. Kyeremeh firmly denied the existence of any such curriculum during the NDC’s time in office.

He clarified that, as the Deputy Minister in charge of Pre-Tertiary Education, he never encountered any policy or programme resembling the Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum mentioned by Dr. Prempeh, who was a time Minister for Education.

He further pointed out that Mr. Ablakwa was responsible for tertiary education, and as such, had no involvement in decisions related to the pre-tertiary curriculum.

Mr. Kyeremeh stressed that there were no changes to the basic school curriculum during the NDC’s tenure. Instead, the focus was on reviewing and updating textbooks, which led to the government purchasing 12.5 million textbooks for schoolchildren.

Mr. Kyeremeh highlighted that this textbook review significantly improved access to educational materials at the basic level, with each child receiving four textbooks.

He reiterated that no new curriculum, such as the one referenced by Dr. Prempeh, was ever introduced by the NDC during its time in government.