PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT OF REPUBLIC OF GHANA
HIS EXCELLENCY, NANA ADDO DANQUAH AKUFO ADDO
FLAGSTAFF HOUSE
ACCRA.
3rd September, 2020.
Your Excellency,
PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN GHANA NEED YOUR URGENT RESPONSE ON THE STIMULUS PACKAGE.
The undersigned Executives of the Ghana National Council of Private Schools, GNACOPS, and the entire
stakeholders in private education sector in the country, present this plea for your urgent consideration.
The Council and stakeholders would like to express appreciation for the able manner you and the COVID-19
Management Team have handled this pandemic.
The Council humbly refers you to the special relief package regarding loans for Small and Medium Scale
enterprises, individuals and institutions, you ably directed National Board for Small Scale Industry, NBSSI, to
process on behalf of the Presidency.
The suspension of schools activities across the country, as a measure to combat the spread of Covid-19, as
announced by His Excellency, the President on 15th March, 2020, came at a time when most private
institutions were yet to collect their fees in arrears. Majority of schools had only taken up to 50% of the total
amount.
Since this business support scheme was open to all businesses, a large number of our member institutions
that had not been in operation since March 15, 2020 presented their applications. Applications were
successfully submitted and vetted by both the council and NBBSI.
Your Excellency, the council has since then followed keenly with the processes of application and
disbursement but as of today, none of our member schools have witnessed any sign of money being credited
to their accounts. And these are owners who have relied on this business since time immemorial until the rise
of this pandemic.
Yesterday, 2nd September the council was assured of getting offer letters for the applicant which was the
final process to begin the disbursement. At 6pm, the Executive Director Mrs. Kosi Yankey of NBSSI then
informed the council of a decision that has been taken in that, the loan requested by the schools will be
paid directly to the teachers. Your Excellency, this convoluted decision beats our imagination as this money
is a loan to be paid back according to NBSSI.
Your Excellency, it is important that we provide the following disturbing logistical information, which has the
potential of collapsing Private Academic Institutions if not considered and vigorously attended to; For the
several low fee paying institutions who mostly collect fees on daily basis (constituting 70% of all private
schools), instantly seized from them.
The net effect of the above is that the sudden closure of schools, coupled have brought financial difficulties to
private schools and their staff whose incomes are dependent on fees paid by parents and loans from financial
institutions. Most parents were unable to settle the full fees before the closure and private schools are now
facing challenges in meeting their financial obligations to over 94,000 teaching and support staff in terms of
salaries as well as their obligations to other organizations.
Private schools contribute about 41% to educational growth in the country and these schools are on the verge
of collapsing. In sustaining these schools, the stimulus (loan) should be immediately released to them.
Teachers who teach in these institutions are suffering and starving, homes are broken, other teachers
attacking their employers, other financial obligations are also not been fulfilled. Food served in some homes
are not nutritionally balanced, an issue you had strongly alluded to build immunity against COVID-19 and
other opportunistic infections, yet not much attention has been given to us private instutions.
A large percentage of the teachers in these private schools have been sacked or sent on unpaid leave. As
expected some are putting verbal pressure on their employers to pay them while others have openly attacked
their proprietors. Recent examples of these attacks are in Aburi, in the Eastern Region and Kumasi in Greater
Kumasi.
Owners of these schools are also equally suffering as their businesses are not operating anymore, coupled
with threats from court actions by unpaid teachers, loan institutions and creditors.
Also no hope has been given to the private school owners as to when the restrictions on schools will be totally
removed for them to resume school.
Furthermore, and in spite of your admonition to banking and statutory institutions (SSNIT, GRA, Ghana Water
Company) to delay mandatory collections, the situation still persist and is becoming very worrisome.
Unfortunately some schools have already collapsed and began selling properties to defray financial
commitments just to survive with their families.
To make our situation worse, the banks these proprietors owe are chasing them also for repayment. There is
no hope and nothing to rely on.
Your Excellency, we humbly ask that you work on these issues listed immediately to help sustain these private
institutions who contribute to about 41% of Ghana’s education as mentioned earlier. School Proprietors desire
to restore normalcy and maintain their facilities while waiting for His Excellency’s directives on opening of
schools but they are constrained by lack of funds.
Your Excellency, we wish now to provide an update on the Covid-19 Stimulus Loan (CAP BuSS). It would be
recalled that, on the 23rd of March, 2020, the private schools Council petitioned your able office on the
anticipated issues for assistance. Our letter was taken to the sector responsible for those issues raised. On the
4
th May, 2020, the Ministry of Finance invited the Executives of the Private schools Council to elaborate
further on the issues. A presentation was made at the meeting:
1. Four thousand three hundred (4,300) schools had officially submitted a one-month payment voucher of
their teachers to the council for support from the Finance Ministry.
2. Out of these schools, a data consisting of ninety-four thousand (94,000) teachers were submitted to the
Ministry.
Two weeks after meeting with the Ministry of Finance, the Executives of GNACOPS were then directed to the
National Board for Small Scale Industry, NBSSI, for discussions on how to access the stimulus package
launched by the government. Members were able to successfully apply for the package with the help of the
council.
A comprehensive data of schools were presented to NBSSI for consideration with series of meetings with the
NBSSI held in between. And the Council was the first group of applicants to have presented a full report on the
loan application and its process to NBSSI. The Council then held a press conference to applaud the efforts of
His Excellency, Nana Addo for taking such initiative to support the private business sector. A copy of this
report has also been attached for your perusal.
Your Excellency, after fulfilling all the requirements given to us to be able to apply for the loan, NBSSI called
for a meeting with the Executives of GNACOPS for a further discussion on the loan. The council met the NBSSI
as well as a representative from KPMG, who commended the private schools Council for internally organizing
things for smooth application. He then assured the council of soon payment of the loan to individual
institutions.
The Executive secretary of NBSSI, Mrs. Kosi-Yankey gave the private schools’ council full assurance that the
loan will be given to eligible schools, and processes were ongoing to send the money to the participating
banks but as at now no school has received any money as they applied. Your Excellency, the Council is worried
about repercussions on the private education sector, and humbly plead for the immediate release of funds
through NBSSI to member applicants.
Our petition is grounded on the need for sustained growth in the private sector and the need for the
avoidance of perceived discrimination. The Council is under pressure to act in appropriate and responsible
manner; this petition is seen in that light.
We look forward to your usual response and directives to the appropriate bodies.
Kindly find attached a comprehensive report of the entire process.
Thank You.
Signed:
1. Enoch Kwasi Gyetuah (National Executive Director) – Signed on behalf of council directors
2. Esther Quist-Wood (Director for Finance and administration) – Signed on behalf of
National Board Members of the council.
3. Ellen Nti (Regional Coordinators, ) – Signed on behalf of Regional Coordinators of the
council.
4. Prince kweku Entsie – Signed on behalf of the leaders of associate members of the council
5. Signed on behalf of Proprietors/proprietresses (prime members) of the council
-Morning Dew Academy
-Big Dreams P.A Academy
-Pinks and Blues
-Atebubu First Choice
– Lawrence Montessori
6. Signed on behalf of teachers (associate members) of the council
-Divine Intervention preparatory School
-Elshaddai Academy
-Golden State Academy
7. Signed on behalf of head teachers in private schools of the council
-Happy Home Academy
-Zion Praise
Cc.
The Honorable Minister,
Ministry of Trade and Industry
The Chairman,
Parliamentary Select Committee
The Honorable Minister,
Ministry of Finance
All media houses
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