The National Democratic Congress (NDC) Parliamentary Minority has called on the Education Minister to halt the rebranding of public basic schools and instead focus on addressing critical challenges in basic education in the country.
In a statement issued by Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, the Deputy Ranking Member of the Parliamentary Education Committee and NDC Member of Parliament (MP) for Bulsa South, the Minority expressed concerns about the allocation of resources towards rebranding efforts.
They emphasized the need to prioritize resolving pressing issues affecting basic education.
“How can the Minister, 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 one million plus public basic school pupils have no access to furniture?”
“Has the Minister (Education) forgotten, what he told Parliament, during his last visit? In his report to Parliament, it has been captured that only 65 per cent of textbooks have been supplied thus far.”
“May I remind him that capitation grants are still in arrears for the equivalent of eight terms?”
He questioned how rebranding could be a priority in the face of these challenges facing public education in Ghana.
Dr. Apaak outlined a range of challenges affecting teaching and learning in public basic schools in Ghana. These include the delay in the release of the Capitation Grant, which was in arrears for eight tranches (equivalent to eight terms), as well as infrastructural deficits such as poor toilet facilities.
He also highlighted the lack of textbooks from kindergarten to junior high school, more than three years after the introduction of reforms, and the absence of sample questions for the 2024 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates, who represent the first batch of the new reform.
Additionally, Dr. Apaak pointed out the lack of furniture for both teachers and students, inadequate security personnel to protect school properties leading to theft cases, unpaid utility bills (electricity and water) resulting in disconnections, and the challenge of waste disposal faced by schools in urban areas due to the lack of funds to pay waste collectors.
He emphasized that basic school administrators were struggling to manage schools due to inadequate funding, neglect, and delays in the release of the capitation grants.
Dr. Apaak stressed that these were the issues the Education Minister should prioritize, rather than focusing on the colors of school blocks and uniforms. He criticized the expenditure of public resources on painting schools in specific colors and introducing new uniforms, which he deemed as misplaced priorities.
“We call on Ghanaians to join us in resisting this needless initiative in the collective interest of the State of the Republic of Ghana,” he 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.”