Mr Raymond Nyamador, a renowned Ghanaian Journalist, has urged parents and Ghanaians at large to put some value and attention to the government schools in Ghana.
Raymond opined that, government institutions under the country’s education sector are relatively at the same level with most privately owned schools. However, most Ghanaians have failed to acknowledge the importance of government institutions and attributed much significance to private schools.
Speaking on a morning show, Mr. Nyamador noted that everyone is looking at educating their wards through private schools and as such private schools in Ghana have also taken advantage of the “perceived monopoly” to overprice fee charges.
“We have conveniently created a system in Ghana where we have run down our government schools and institutions and we have given enormous oxygen to the private schools as if to say they have the best curriculum and have the best of things. When opportunity comes that one has to take their children to school, everybody is looking at the private school.
“The private schools also knowing that they are perceived to be the best, they also feel parents don’t have an option so they enjoy some monopoly. They take advantage to price out fees like they like. Take it or leave it that’s what we are experiencing.”
Raymond
The journalist further suggested that parents can avoid “outrageous” school fees charges with the option of the provision of free universal basic education. “Currently we have the free compulsory universal basic education. But as we speak a lot of parents are not even looking at that but we all want our children to be in the private schools.” he revealed.
“What kind of teachers are in the private schools that you can’t find any at the government institutions. They all attend teacher training colleges so what’s the difference? It’s just us and badmouthing. Free SHS has taught us something.
“From your private schools that you claim are top-notch when we get to the SHS we don’t know the difference between someone who went to private schools and government schools.”
Raymond
For many people across the world, the standard of education in schools and colleges are measured by costs and standards. This phenomenon resonates in the Ghanaian society as schools that are deemed to be the best comes with huge financial burdens. The majority of good Ghanaian schools are only for the high-income earners, and they mostly follow an international curriculum
Most Ghanaian families perceive the quality of public schools to be lower than private institutions, and since extra fees exist for public and private schools alike, a significant majority are choosing a private education for their children. This reality points to the need for policy response: both public and private schools will have to make significant changes to increase access to quality education in developing countries.
In September 2017, the Ministry achieved a major milestone with the implementation of the Free Senior High School program. That year, there was an 11% increase in enrolment, breaking records from previous years. In the 2017/18 academic year, a new record was set with the highest enrolment ever seen in the country: over 470,000 students enrolled in senior high school.
SCHOOL REOPENS
Meanwhile, in a press statement dated January 7, 2023 and signed by the Head of the Public Relations Unit of GES, Cassandra Twum Ampofo, the new date was to allow for the observation of the statutory holiday on January 9.
“Senior High Schools are expected to reopen on Tuesday 10th January, 2023,” part of the statement read. The statement further reiterated that public Junior High Schools will still reopen on January 10, 2023, which was yesterday.
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