Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh,Minister of Education
Panelists at a forum on education have urged the government to conduct a broader consultation on the funding of the free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
According to them, proceeds from oil and natural resources alone would not be enough to fund the policy hence, the need to explore other means of supporting the initiative.
The forum, organised by the Mfantsipim Old Boys Association (MOBA), in Accra, was on the theme: ‘Delivering quality secondary education in Ghana: A paradigm shift needed.’
The panelists, included Professor Paul Yankson, a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon, Dr John Manful, Food and Agriculture Research Scientist, Ekow Amua-Sekyi, a private legal practitioner, and Mr Laud Freeman, a management consultant.
Mr Freeman, who was a former Regional Corporate Accountant Manager at Airtel Ghana, said government must encourage the support of the Parent Teachers Association (P.T.A), to schools.
He said the government’s intention to stop the P.T.A levy, should not be encouraged since other sources of funding were needed to complement government’s funding.
Mr Freeman said admission to SHS increases every academic year, and that the implementation of the policy was likely to result in doubling of enrolment figures next year.
Prof Yankson advised the government “to consider inviting the corporate community invest in the policy, and in return be exempt from paying certain taxes”.
He noted that since most of the second cycle institutions were faced with infrastructural challenges, there was the need for public-private partnerships, to sustain the free SHS policy as well as improve teaching and learning.
Prof Yankson urged Ghanaians to improve the agriculture sector and use proceeds to finance the policy.
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