Basic education needs more attention

The government introduced the capitation grant with a well-intended purpose to provide quality and affordable education for all children of school age, irrespective of their socio-economic, geographical and cultural dispositions.

The intention was to give true meaning to the concept of Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education (FCUBE) as a feature of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution. 

But we are saddened to know that since the beginning of the 2013/2014 academic year, the government has not been able to pay the capitation grant to basic schools. 

That situation has compelled the President of the Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS), Mrs Naa Adoley Bulley Boye Quaye, to call on head teachers to think outside the box to find other means of generating funds internally to run their schools, instead of always looking up to the grant.

It is unfortunate that basic schools, which are the foundation of our educational system, have joined the long line of institutions which have not received their statutory payments for a while.

But we acknowledge the financial challenges confronting the country which have resulted in the delay in the release of statutory payments to critical institutions such as the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) and the Ghana Scholarship Secretariat.

We are happy that the government has started releasing funds to these institutions. It is our prayer that it will be sustained, so that all the arrears will be cleared. We also hope such payment will be extended to contractors and students on government scholarships abroad.

However, considering the challenges confronting the capitation grant and its relevance to providing quality education, the Daily Graphic believes that it is time for the authorities to review the beneficiaries.

It is possible for the capitation grant to be targeted at the needy in very deprived communities and the urban poor. This way, the policy will cease to be universal in nature and reduce the burden on the government to cater for all pupils.

We have heard and seen reports of poor standards of education, especially in the public sector, with many parents seeking to educate their children in private schools. 

The Daily Graphic believes that we can make our educational system better if we all contribute our quota by putting resources into the kitty to finance the educational endeavour.