By Comfort Sena Fetrie-Akagbor, GNA
Tema, Sept. 14, GNA- Some parents of pupils in private schools in Tema have expressed concern over the rising cost of learning materials, saying the financial burden is particularly heavy for families with more than one child in private education.
The parents said some private schools required them to purchase textbooks, workbooks, and other learning materials directly from the schools, rather than allowing them to source the items from other vendors.
Madam Akua Mary Osei, a parent in Tema, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that she had spent GH¢895 on learning materials for one of her children in Class One, GH¢996 for another in Class Five and GH¢1,990 for a child in junior high school, excluding school fees.
She said she compared some of the prices charged by her children’s school with prices of similar materials on the open market and found significant differences.
According to her, the school required parents to purchase the prescribed learning materials directly from the school.
Mr Bentley Amevo, another parent, said his children’s school had also restricted parents from purchasing prescribed learning materials from outside vendors.
Mr Amevo said the practice placed additional financial pressure on parents, particularly those with several children in private schools.
He appealed to education stakeholders to engage private schools on the issue and explore measures to make learning materials more affordable for parents.
Mr Eric Nii Tetteh, another parent, said his children’s school did not always provide parents with the names and publishers of some prescribed textbooks, making it difficult for them to compare prices or purchase the books elsewhere.
He said parents were sometimes required to purchase bundled sets of books directly from the school, which he described as expensive.
Madam Helina Kabutey, a retired educationist, said some publishers and schools provided customised textbook and workbook combinations in which pupils wrote directly into the books.
She said such practices could limit the possibility of reusing textbooks among siblings or other pupils and consequently increase the cost of education for families.
The parents called for greater transparency in the pricing and procurement of learning materials in private schools to enable families to make informed purchasing decisions.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo