Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Education Committee Dr. Clement Abas Apaak has counseled the Akufo-Addo administration against repainting public basic schools in the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) colors.
In spite of rumors that the government plans to change the brown and yellow color scheme of public basic schools to blue and white, the Ministry of Education made it clear in a statement that this program is just for basic schools that are being built.
The Ministry further stated that there are no intentions to alter the school uniforms for every public school.
The MP for Builsa South encouraged the administration to set aside funds to deal with the urgent problems facing the education sector in a statement.
He voiced worry that the administration may use the NPP paint job to provide contracts to friends and family.
Read below the full statement by Dr Apaak
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:-
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1. Delay in releases of meagre Capitation Grant (10 cedis per head per annum), which is in arrears for eight tranches ( equivalent to 8 Terms);
2. Infrastructural deficit, especially poor toilet facilities;
3. Lack of textbooks from KG to JHS: more than three years after the introduction of reforms;
4. No sample questions for 2024 BECE Candidates (the first batch of the New Reform);
6. Lack of security personnel to protect properties of schools – leading to rampant theft cases;
7. Unpaid Utility bills (Electricity & Water) leading to disconnections;
8. 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 Republic of Ghana. 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
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