Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, has asked owners of private schools to build their capacity to entice parents.
The statement by the academician follows the promise by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to expand the reach of the Free Senior High School programme to include private schools should it be re-elected in the December 6 polls.
Speaking at the launch of the NDC’s manifesto at the University for Professional Studies in Accra, on the theme ‘People’s Manifesto: Jobs, Prosperity and More’, the flagbearer’s running mate, Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang noted that the second-cycle schools in the private sector also need to be rolled onto the national policy in the next NDC government.
“We plan to make the Free SHS more inclusive by expanding it to cover students in private senior high schools in under-served and deprived parts of the country,” she added.
Speaking on Atinka FM’s Drive with host Ekourba Gyasi, Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, asked the private schools, especially the Senior High Schools to build their capacity and make their schools competitive enough to make parents opt for them.
Meanwhile, The Executive Director for the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), Enoch Gyetuah, says the association welcomes the decision of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to expand the free SHS policy to include private schools.
“We are for open participation for educational delivery. GNACOPS have had numerous talks with government on Free SHS. Section 27 of the Education Act empowers the Ministry of Education to include private schools in its policies to enhance open participation of programs in the sector and so an inclusion is a step in the right direction. What we will have to do is to go to the drawing table and find out the best possible way to roll us on “, he explained.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Vivian Adu Boatemaa
