A concerned parent, widely known as Bro KAKA, has issued a passionate plea to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reconsider their “reformational policies” that are placing an undue burden on parents of basic school pupils.
According to Bro KAKA, who was once a broadcast journalist, parents are already shouldering significant financial responsibilities, including paying terminal exam fees, providing school uniforms, purchasing textbooks and other learning materials, and covering utility bills, among other expenses. The latest addition to this list is the expectation for parents to cover transportation costs for the upcoming “standardized test” scheduled for July 23-24, 2024.
The CEO of KoNyaKE Performing Group (KPG) argues that this is unacceptable and unfair, as public basic school pupils deserve equal access to education and resources as all Ghanaian citizens. The parent is calling for a reconsideration of these policies to ensure that all students have a fair share of the national resources.
The plea has resonated with many parents who are feeling the strain of these excessive burdens.
Below is the full release shared on social media:
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND GES, WHY ARE YOU CONTINUALLY IMPOSING EXCESSIVE BURDENS ON US, THE PARENTS OF BASIC SCHOOL PUPILS, THROUGH YOUR SO-CALLED REFORMATIONAL POLICIES? DESPITE ALREADY SHOULDERING SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, INCLUDING:
- PAYING TERMINAL EXAM FEES (ranging from ₵15.00 TO ₵40.00 depending on the class)
- PROVIDING SCHOOL UNIFORMS
- PURCHASING TEXTBOOKS, EXERCISE BOOKS, NOTEBOOKS, AND OTHER LEARNING MATERIALS
- PROVIDING WHITEBOARD MARKERS, CARDBOARD, DUSTERS, AND OTHER ESSENTIALS FOR SCHOOLS
- PAYING UTILITY (WATER AND LIGHT) BILLS
- PAYING FOR EXPENSES ON INDEPENDENCE DAY CELEBRATIONS
- BUYING DESKS FOR OUR WARDS
- PAYING EXTRA CLASS FEES
- ETC, ETC…
NOW, YOU’RE ALSO EXPECTING US TO COVER TRANSPORTATION COSTS TO AND FROM THE VENUE FOR THE “STANDARDIZED TEST” SCHEDULED FOR JULY 23-24, 2024? THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!
DON’T PUBLIC BASIC SCHOOL PUPILS DESERVE EQUAL ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND RESOURCES AS GHANAIAN CITIZENS? WHY ARE THEIR PARENTS BEING UNFAIRLY BURDENED?
IT’S TIME TO RECONSIDER THESE POLICIES AND ENSURE THAT ALL STUDENTS HAVE A FAIR SHARE OF THE NATIONAL RESOURCES.
Shalom!!!
The writer, Kojo Ata Kakrah Abrowah (Bro KAKA) is a Guardian and CEO of KoNyaKE Performing Group (KPG), KEEA Municipality.
