The Conference of Directors of Private Pre- Tertiary Schools - Ghana ( CoDPPTS ) has called on government to give part of the COVID-19 Stimulus package to private schools to ease their economic burden brought about by the closure of schools from March 2020 as a result of the COVI-19 outbreak.
The Conference made the demand in a communique signed by it's President, Mr Philip Boateng Mensah.
On the Free SHS, the CoDPPTS said though the policy is laudable it challenges show that it must be a Pro-poor programme targeting low income earners and the deprived of the population instead of making it open for all categories of Ghanaians.
The CoDPPS also urged government to set a clear date for the reopening of schools to enable the schools make adequate preparation for the reopening.
It condemned plans by government to allocate 30% of SHS ADMISSIONS to Category 'A' schools to public school students and described the plan as discriminatory.
It also welcome the setting up of the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) and pledged to collaborate with the Authority for the development of the country.
FULL STATEMENT BELOW
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF A MEETING ORGANISED BY THE CONFERENCE OF DIRECTORS OF PRIVATE PRE-TERTIARY SCHOOLS – GHANA (CODPPTS), HELD ON THE 18TH DECEMBER, 2020 IN ACCRA.
INTRODUCTION
Conference of Directors of Private Pre-Tertiary Schools – Ghana (CODPPTS), is a body of private school owners, who have established private schools to complement government’s efforts at providing education in Ghana. The one-day meeting, held on the 18th of December, 2020 in Accra was aimed at;
1. Reviewing the impact of COVID-19 on Private Pre-Tertiary Schools and Private School Teachers in Ghana;
2. Assess the Government’s Policy of providing free SHS and its impact on Private Pre-tertiary Schools as well as prioritizing Education in times of crisis or emergencies by Government under Free SHS Policy.
3. Need for Clear date set for return to school.
4. Thirty percent (30%) quota for public school’s placement in grade ‘A ’secondary schools after BECE.
In the course of deliberations, the meeting noted the following and made recommendations accordingly.
Reviewing the impact of COVID -19 on Private Pre-tertiary Schools and Private School Teachers in Ghana;
1. STIMULUS PACKAGE FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS DURING COVID-19
The meeting noted that, since the closure of schools in March 2020, support from Government for Private Schools and their Teachers have been mere rhetoric’s and mockery.
The various stimulus packages provided by Government to its Institutions and Personnel they considered priority excluded the Private school Owners and Teachers. The allocation to NBSSI for Private School Teachers to access was nothing to write home about. Although it was conspicuous, government was supporting private organisations in these difficult times, Its Education partners were relegated to the background.
Even though this conduct of government is in bad faith and smacks of government perceiving Private Schools as competitors rather than partners in development, we wish to draw Government's attention to the fact that, we complement its effort in providing quality education hence, in critical times as this, when the closure of schools was not the making of Private Schools, it is important to treat everyone equally rather than being discriminatory.
2. ASSESSMENT OF THE FREE SHS POLICY
Assessing the Government’s policy of providing free SHS and its impact on Private Pre-tertiary Schools as well as prioritizing education in times of crises. We call on the government to engage stake holders in discussing the Free Senior High School policy and it's way forward, because in times of crisis as COVID-19, the meeting noted, allocating resources to make the school environment safe for children to go to school would not be a priority of government due to the heavy spending which is entirely shouldered by government.
It is worthy of note that, the bold initiative by the President to roll out the free SHS is commendable. However, after about three years of implementation, the challenges are obvious and government must be bold enough to admit that, it is impracticable to provide free education to all categories of Ghanaians.
The laudable Free SHS Policy must be a PRO POOR PROGRAMME targeting the low income earners and the deprived of the population. The situation on the grounds is, Parents are incurring huge costs by engaging Private Teachers to teach their wards to make up for completion of the syllabus. How should a Managing Director and a Messenger in the same organisation whose wards have passed to enter SHS enjoy equally free fee paying. Parents who are capable must be made to contribute to their wards education as a way of making the Policy sustainable.
3. NEED FOR CLEAR DATE SET FOR RETURN TO SCHOOL
It is regrettable the meeting noted that, the month of December is coming to a close, yet, no clear date has been set for children to return to school, except the rumour that schools are reopening in January.
It is worthy to note that, haven closed down schools for almost a year, a week or two announcements for reopening will not be enough to prepare and put in adequate measures for safe reopening. Government should not Continue to adopt lackadaisical attitude towards the safe return to school.
A clear date must be set, so that, private school owners who have lost income for barely a year, will look at how to mobilise resources for safe school return. Further, the Education Ministry must note, in all these online studies, science practicals were sacrificed because that could not be carried out online, again, education provided on TV and radio by Government is a demonstration that, as country we are toying with the future of our wards. How would a child ask a question about something he or she doesn’t understand during TV lessons.
4. THIRTY PERCENT (30%) QUOTA FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL’S PLACEMENT INTO GRADE ‘A' SECONDARY SCHOOLS AFTER BECE.
The CODPPTS condemns the attempt by government to give thirty percent 30% quota of admissions into class A Senior High Schools To public school . This is not only unconstitutional but also creates Educational Apartheid in Ghana's Educational system. The constitution provides for equal opportunities for all Ghanaians.
The Conference is of the view that, if there is any approach to bridge the gap between Public and Private basic schools’ admission into SHS, the way to go is not the lazy approach of allocating thirty percent (30%) quota to public schools to steal the start at the race.
We urge the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service to be prudent in their decisions and allocate more resources for monitoring and supervision but not the easy path they have chosen. Parents whose wards are in Private schools and workers in Private Schools are tax payers in Ghana and their taxes are part of funds used to build, develop and sustain secondary schools. Therefore, the conduct of the Ministry of Education is discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Again, Ghana Education Service has more qualified teachers in all public schools than private schools, so if performance is stunted at the public school level, what is required is to do a diagnoses of the problem to solve it, rather than condoning the laxity, low supervision and lackadaisical attitude of some public school teachers resulting in low performance.
5. NATIONAL SCHOOLS INSPECTORATE AUTHORITY
Finally, the Conference welcomes NaSIA and pledges to collaborate with it. It urged NaSIA to see Private Schhools as partners in development but not Student-Head Teacher relationship for mutual respect and cordial relationship.
Signed
Philip Boateng Mensah
President
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Source: Emmanuel Akorli/ Peace FM Parliamentary Correspondent
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