Story by Enock Akonnor enockakonnor2013@gmail.com
Officials of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) have named the Education Service (GES) among state institutions who are deliberating sabotaging the progress of private schools.
Reason for the foregoing Machiavellian agenda is to boost public school education over that of the private; officials hinted during the launch of GNAPS Week celebration in Kumasi.
They sighted a pronouncement by the Director General of GES that 80% of priority placement into Category A Senior High Schools be reserved for public school children while private school students wishing to enter category A schools be made to sit an entrance examination aside the Basic Education (BECE) that they would already have written as a clear credence.
Premised on the foregoing, GNAPS executives have likened the GES Boss to the coach of a host soccer team who tries using unorthodox means of weakening a visiting team which the host team cannot beat through any fair competitive game. “So we can forgive such a coach because his is trying to protect his job which may be on the line if he continues losing the contest to private schools”, President of GNAPS Dr. Damascus Tuurosong said at the launch.
“For now there appears to be almost 100% concentration on public schools to the neglect of private schools. For instance, why would the Ministry organize the first ever National Standardized Test (NSAT) for Basic 4 Pupil of Public schools to the total exclusion of private schools?
Remember, this WAEC conducted test was to assess the education attainment at the Basic 4 level to inform interventions towards attaining the required outcomes.
So how do you initiate an intervention when a major segment or your target was not assessed to find out their strengths and weaknesses?
Again how do you introduce an education reform, the Common Core Programme for all children and yet when it comes to training teachers to handle the programme, deny private school teachers from participating in the training?
In this difficult post-Covid and Ukrainian was economy, why would WAEC charge very exorbitant BECE registration fees which the MoE would quickly settle for public schools, only public schools but close its ears to appeals for at least subsidizing the fees for private schools?”
Dr. Damascus in his address gave shocking examples of how the Ministry of Education treats private schools in Ghana like foster children.
“These days, private schools hardly get even crumbs falling from the table of the Ministry. But rather than fold our arms and lament, GNAPS will fight to have its fair share of the national cake which is baked with our taxes. In this regard, I wish to assure private school parents that GNAPS will fight tooth and nail to ensure that their wards who write the BECE get their fair assessment from WAEC. We shall also make sure that the Computerized Placement system is based purely on merit and that private school children deserving of category
A schools are placed in those schools. In this regard, we are considering legal options towards abolishing the 30% priority placement policy which benefits public schools.
It is our belief that every child in our motherland deserves to be treated fairly in attaining his/her educational dreams. Discriminating against children who have opted to attend private school amounts to a violation of the fundamental rights of these young ones.”
However, the Deputy Minister of Education at the event told the media that the focus of government is on both sectors not only the public as perceived by some stakeholders.
Government according to him is doing his possible best to improve the duo.
“we know the import role that private schcols play so we have not neglected them.
We involve them in whatever we do. We will continue to open our doors to them. Let’s all dialogue and find out solutions to address their challenges.
We will plead on everyone to exercise patience…”
Source; www.leakynews.net
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