Review 30% quota for public schools - Private pre-tertiary schools advocate

The Conference of Directors of Private Pre-Tertiary Schools- Ghana (CODPPTS) says the decision of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to allocate 30 per cent placement of Grade ‘A’ schools to public schools before the remaining 70 per cent is allocated to all basic schools in the country after the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is unconstitutional since it creates discrimination in the educational system.

Furthermore, it said it infringed on Article 25 (1) of the 1992 Constitution which provided that, “all persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities and with a view of achieving the full realisation of that right.

“The policy discriminates against Ghanaian children in private schools. It is ironical that public schools that have a higher percentage of qualified teachers would rather perform abysmally and the system rather used to favour those who should have performed better through the 30 per cent quota.

Recommendation

“We recommend that adequate resources with effective monitoring and supervision be pursued by the Ministry of Education and the GES to bridge the knowledge gab between public and private schools rather than the discriminatory approach,” a statement issued by the conference and signed by its President, Mr Philip Boateng Mensah said.

It called on the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Adutwum to initiate steps to make the schools where candidates sat the BECE mandatory to validate the school placement/enrolment form.

“As the situation stands now, the schools or the clergy’s signature validates the school placement/enrolment form.

“However, where the candidates have not settled their outstanding bills but can easily have a clergy to endorse the form, they (candidates) go away without settling their indebtedness. This is not good for the financial health of the private schools,” it said.

It said it was of the firm belief that, the minister would take keen interest in the issues raised and address them to create the enabling environment for private pre-tertiary school operators to work.

“We have no doubt that under the leadership of Dr Adutwum, the Ministry of Education will see more pragmatic innovations to continue to improve and sustain quality teaching and learning in our schools,” it said.

Commendation

The CODPPTS congratulated Dr Adutwum on his elevation to the position of Minister of Education.

“Having been sworn into office by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after his successful vetting and approval by Parliament, we are of high expectations that Dr Adutwum will not waver in his passion to transform Ghana’s education sector into an enviable position to match others globally,” it said.

It said the conference wished to see the minister carry the private schools operators along in its quest to transform the education sector, whose products would be well equipped to bring the needed change to advance Ghana’s development agenda.

“The CODPPTS views his appointment as great news for the education sector which is the bedrock for quality human resource development to propel Ghana into an enviable height in terms of social, political, economic, cultural and technological advancement.