By Godfred A. Polkuu
Bolgatanga, April 28 GNA – Dr Clement Abasinaab Apaak, the Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Education Committee, has described as misplaced priorities the Ministry of Education’s decision to rebrand public basic schools.
The Sector Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, at a forum in Accra dubbed: “The Free SHS story,” announced the Ministry’s decision to repaint public basic schools and change the uniforms of pupils to blue and white colours “to give them an attractive outlook.”
However, Dr Apaak in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, called on the Minister to desist from rebranding the schools, saying that the colours represented the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and should not be accepted.
The Deputy Ranking Member, also a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Builsa South Constituency, said, “Spending public time and resources painting schools in blue and white, and introducing blue and white uniforms are clearly misplaced priorities.”
He recalled that Dr Adutwum in his report to Parliament during his last visit, indicated that only 65 percent of textbooks were so far supplied.
“May I remind him, that capitation grants are still in arrears for the equivalent of eight terms? How could rebranding be a priority in the face of these challenges facing public education in Ghana?” Dr Apaak asked.
“How can he, at this time of economic crisis in Ghana, be thinking of wasting public resources on furniture?” he quizzed.
He enumerated challenges that affected teaching and learning in basic schools by a Head teacher, which needed urgent attention, and mentioned among others, the delay in releases of capitation grant of GH¢10.00 per head per annum, which he noted was in arrears for eight tranches, equivalent to eight terms.
He said infrastructural deficit, especially poor toilet facilities, the lack of textbooks from KG to JHS for more than three years after the introduction of reforms, the lack of furniture for both teachers and students, the lack of security personnel to protect properties of schools which led to rampant theft cases needed urgent attention.
“According to the Head Teacher, basic school Administrators are struggling to manage the affairs of schools, because of inadequate funding, neglect and delay in the releases of the capitation grants, etc.”
The Deputy Ranking Member emphasized that “These are issues Dr Yaw Adutwum should be worried about, not the colours of school blocks and school uniforms.”
According to him, “Besides the overt attempt to brand public basic schools in NPP colours, the only other reason is to create an avenue to award sole sourced contracts to families, friends, and party members.”
Dr Apaak called on Ghanaians to resist the “needless initiative” in the collective interest of the country and said, “If the Ministry of Education has funds, advisedly, those funds should go to address the long list of challenges narrated by Heads of public basic schools.”
GNA