Dr Kwabena Duffuor has said that although there is an attempt by the ruling government to pursue a free education system, it must not do so at the expense of quality.
He explained that there is a need for students to be trained, albeit freely, in dignity.
“Inasmuch as we desire to provide our children with free education, we must conscientiously also ensure that our children acquire education in dignity,” he said.
Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, who is a former Minister of Finance, was reacting to the recent news of how some students of the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASCO) were reported to have been sleeping in toilets transformed into dormitories.
Following the story, which has caught the attention of the Ghana Education Service, the headmaster of the school has been asked to step aside as investigations into the matter is undertaken.
In a statement, Dr. Duffuor expressed his disappointment in the situation, while recalling how, under his tenure as minister, he helped the John Evans Atta Mills government ensure that education in the country had the required resources.
“Under the Administration of President Atta-Mills, and as Finance Minister, we tirelessly worked to efficiently deploy the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), and other resources to conscientiously provide a deluge of boarding facilities for existing schools, and also constructed new schools with such facilities,” he added.
He has therefore called on the government to work “honestly” to ensure that the necessary facilities are provided for the transformation of the country’s educational sector.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor is currently touring the country as he aims to become the National Democratic Congress’ presidential candidate for the 2024 general elections.
Source: ghanaweb.com