The Minority in Parliament has issued caution to the government to cease and desist from branding public basic schools in New Patriotic Party colours.
According to the minority, the government cannot, in the face of our economic crisis, choose to rebrand public schools in their colours.
Dr. Clement Apaak, Deputy Ranking on Parliament Education Committee, argued that the government cannot ignore the economic crisis and waste resources on painting schools in party colors and introducing blue and white uniforms in public schools, as over 1 million basic school pupils lack furniture access.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has announced plans by the government to repaint all public basic schools from their current brown and yellow colours to blue and white.
He claimed that the move forms part of the efforts of a rebranding strategy aimed at enhancing the aesthetics of the schools.
Dr. Adutwum further revealed that this initiative is one of many aimed at revitalising basic education in the country and making it more appealing.
But the minority’s statement said there are several challenges confronting the basic sector, including the fact that only 65 percent of textbooks have been supplied thus far since the introduction of the new curriculum.
He listed eight challenges affecting teaching and learning in our basic schools that needed urgent attention.
The statement therefore asked the government to cease and desist from investing in this misplaced priority.
Among these eight challenges are the delay in releases of the meagre Capitation Grant (10 cedis per head per annum), which is in arrears for eight tranches (equivalent to 8 terms); Infrastructural deficit, especially poor toilet facilities; Lack of textbooks from KG to JHS: more than three years after the introduction of reforms; no sample questions for 2024 BECE candidates (the first batch of the New Reform); and lack of furniture for both teachers and students.
The statement continued: “These are issues Hon. Yaw Adutwum should be worried about, not the colours of school blocks and school uniforms. Spending public time and resources painting schools in Blue and White, and introducing Blue and White uniforms are clearly misplaced priorities.
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.”
He urged Ghanaians to resist this initiative as it is a waste of resources.
“We call on Ghanaians to join us in resisting this needless initiative in the collective interest of the State of the RepublicofGhana. 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.”
Read the full statement below
CEASE, DESIST FROM BRANDING GHANA PUBLIC BASIC SCHOOLS IN NPP COLOURS
The Minister for Education should cease forthwith, and with immediate effect, desist from any further rebranding public basic schools in Ghana in NPP colours.
How can he, at this time of economic crisis in Ghana, be thinking of wasting public resources to repaint public schools in Blue and White colours; and introduce wearing of Blue and White uniforms in public schools, when 1 million plus public basic school pupils have no access to furniture?
Has the Minister forgotten, what he told Parliament, during his last visit? In his report to Parliament, it has been captured, that only 65% of textbooks have been supplied thus far?
Maybe he needs a reminder. 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? See below, a more detailed list of shared challenges affecting teaching and learning in public basic schools in Ghana by a Headteacher of a basic school:-
- Delay in releases of meagre Capitation Grant (10 cedis per head per annum), which is in arrears for eight tranches ( equivalent to 8 Terms);
- Infrastructural deficit, especially poor toilet facilities;
- Lack of textbooks from KG to JHS: more than three years after the introduction of reforms;
- No sample questions for 2024 BECE Candidates (the first batch of the New Reform);
- Lack of furniture for both teachers and students;
- Lack of security personnel to protect properties of schools – leading to rampant theft cases;
- Unpaid Utility bills (Electricity & Water) leading to disconnections;
- Schools in urban areas face the uphill task of disposing refuse, because no money to pay waste collectors.
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.
These are issues Hon. Yaw Adutwum should be worried about, not the colours of school blocks and school uniforms. Spending public time and resources painting schools in Blue and White, and introducing Blue and White uniforms are clearly misplaced priorities.
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.
We call on Ghanaians to join us in resisting this needless initiative in the collective interest of the State of the RepublicofGhana. 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.
Signed
Dr. Clement Abas Apaak
MP, Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament
Source: rainbowradioonline.com
