Free quality education is a mirage – GNAPS
Mr Godwin Sowah, the President of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) has said “free education” is an illusion, therefore, political parties must desist from peddling it.
“It is wrong and misleading for any government to impress on the people that the constitution of Ghana places the whole burden of education on the shoulders of a government,” he said.
“No government can provide free education alone and this truth must be told to all.”
This was in his speech read at the fifth National Delegates’ Conference of the Association in Ho, on the theme, “Ghana’s Free Quality Education in Perspective.”
“Whether politicians make free education a propaganda trump card or not, Ghanaians know that parents are bearing a good percentage of education finance in our Senior High Schools; Consider PTA dues, approved fees, teachers’ motivation and utility fees,” Mr Sowah said.
He said, “Free education, like free healthcare, has become a mantra among politicians who use it as a bait” to cajole the citizenry.
Mr Sowah said the trend was becoming “dangerous” and ought to be discouraged.
He said Ghanaian parents were prepared to sacrifice a good and comfortable life to ensure that their children had the best education and they must be allowed to exercise that right.
Madam Helen Ntoso, the Volta Regional Minister, said free basic education was a constitutional provision and that the National Democratic Congress was only adding Senior High Schools to the concept to make education accessible to all.
She said the progressive free SHS policy would be operational next academic year and called for support from all stakeholders to make it successful.
Ms Ntoso commended private school owners for their contribution to the sector and urged them to instill discipline and high moral values in children and discourage them from engaging in examination malpractices.
Mr Alex Buadi, the Acting Volta Regional Director of Education, said though free education was desirable by all someone must pay for it and commended private schools in the Region for their contributions to education.
He noted that most candidates with aggregate six in the Region were from private schools and urged them to continue working hard.
Source: GNA