A Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr. Clement Apaak, has reiterated the need for the government to decap GETFund to help increase educational infrastructure, especially at the tertiary level.
The MP who represents the constituents of Builsa South says there is a need for the government to take that step in ensuring that the millions of graduates from the senior school level get the opportunity to access tertiary education.
It will be recalled that on March 19, 2024, the MP made a strong case for the government decapping the fund since that will ensure they receive more funding to invest in more projects in our tertiary institutions to accommodate the increasing number of students who apply to the various public universities.
The House was debating the report of the Committee of the Whole on the 2024 GETFund formula.
Referencing the report, he said that at the tertiary level, only one project had been completed between 2017 and 2024.
This he described as worrisome, especially when the number of students who graduated from the secondary level and would want to continue at the tertiary level had increased.
He said it is instructive to note that in the tertiary sector, there is only one project that is indicated to have been completed between 2017 and present.
“Mr. Speaker, this is very worrisome. It is worrisome because we have increased the number of students who are accessing secondary education. Logically, we expect these students to progress to the tertiary level, and yet, we don’t seem to have applied a reasonable quantum of resources to increase access at the tertiary level. In fact, a recent report by Africa Education Watch indicates that only 39 percent of students who have gone through secondary school take up positions in the tertiary sector.
So as other members have indicated, we ought to take another look at this formula, and we ought to continue to make the argument to justify the decapping of GETFund so that we can increase educational infrastructure at the tertiary level for the millions of students that are passing through the secondary system.”
He has reiterated his call, stating that the decapping of GETFund is justified and cannot be ignored.
“I had reason to call attention to the lack of investment to increase educational infrastructure in the tertiary sector by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government during the debate on the report of the committee of the whole on the 2024 Getfund formula. I believe the call to decap Getfund is justified.”
Source: rainbowradioonline.com
