Government's policy statement places emphasis on the creation of an enabling environment for all Ghanaians, irrespective of their socio-economic status, or geographical location, to have access to basic social services such as health-care, quality education, potable water, among others. Ghana's Constitution also places an obligation on the state (in Article 25 of the 1992 Constitution) to meet the educational needs of its youth. It is in the light of these, coupled with the falling standards in education, and the nation's inability to produce skilled work-force that can compete effectively in a globalized knowledge-based economy, that government thought of developing an alternative education for children and the youth out of school and those in hard-to-reach areas. By developing an alternative education, government aims at addressing problems associated with school enrolment, quality and relevance of studies - all of which combine to produce skill and entrepreneurial gaps in the labour market affecting various youth groups. On April 30, 2002, a national planning committee was inaugurated by the Honourable Minister for Information and Presidential Affairs, Mr. Jake O. Obetsebi-Lamptey. The Committee was tasked to plant the establishment of a distance education and open learning system to enhance in a significant and cost effective manner the provision of education in the country. The project, which is under the President's Special Initiative, is a collaboration between the Ministry of Information and Presidential Affairs and the Ministry of Education.. The eleven-member planning committee has as its chairman, Mr. Alex T. Quarmyne, a communication specialist and Managing Director of African Communication TRUST limited. Members include, Ms Abena Agyakom Kwarteng, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. H.K. Ofori-Awuah, Deputy Director-General, Ghana Education Service, and Prof. J. Ananmuah-Mensah, Principal, University College of Education, Winnneba. Others are Ms. Eva Lokko, Director-General, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, Mr. Roger Oppong-Koranteng, IT Consultant/Lecturer, GIMPA - Distance Learning Centre, and Prof. J.S. Djangmah, Education Policy and Planning Expert. The rest are Mr. Jacob Anderson, Ghana National Association of Teachers (gnat), Prof. Samuel N. Woode, Director, Institute of Local Government Studies and Mrs. Agartha Gaisie-Nketia, PUFMARP Secretariat, Ministry of Finance. The Scope of the committee's work includes the following;

• The Planning of a JSS/SSS programme in Mathematics and English to be aligned with the JSS and SSS curricula. This will be broadcast on TV during School term and School hours, but to stand-alone from classroom schedules.
• Teacher Education Programme, targeted at teachers in Mathematics and English to be broadcast on TV.
• And an open college programme targeted at students in entrepreneurship, Information Technology training and also JSS and SSS students who would be following the Mathematics and English lessons of the JSS/SSS programme in preparation to sit or resist relevant examinations. The Committee has its secretariat located in the Ministry of Information and Presidential affairs and has in place an Administration Officer and a Secretary. Best Teachers in the various disciplines have been recruited to write and review scripts. Some completed scripts have been sent to selected Media Production Houses for filming. Some schools have been identified nation-wide as pilot schools where programme impact would be assessed. TV has been proposed as the main delivery medium for cost effectiveness due to the current low level of computer literacy, limited access to Internet and computers. CD Rom production of the television lesions has been recommended for the JSS/SSS series. Radio programmes will be introduced later on, for only English. Come January 2003 the pilot project would be launched for the programme to start rolling on the national television network.

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