Diverting 80% of GETFund and other earmarked funds will Cripple Ghana’s Education
Over the past five years, the Government built an average of 0.8 basic schools per district, per annum.
Today, over 1 million children are not in school. Our urban public basic schools are full; some even run morning and afternoon shifts, and others operate under trees with four on a desk meant for two.
This is mainly because, GETFund, the only hope for infrastructure financing was capped by the Finance Minister, diverting up to 65% of accruals to the Fund into other sectors.
Today, the Finance Minister has gone to Parliament to do further damage to Education by asking to divert up to 80% of GETFund and other earmarked funds.
Bearing in mind that the GETFund leftover prioritizes SHS infrastructure, basic education will continue to suffer stunted growth with only piecemeal pilot projects without sector-wide impacts to show.
This means:
The 5,000 schools under trees will increase
The 2.3 million children without desks will increase
The 1 million Out Of School Children will increase
Over-crowded classrooms will increase
Primary school dropouts due to lack of JHS will increase
The lack of adequate textbooks will remain with us
Uncompleted & delayed SHS projects will increase
Cost overruns on delayed projects will increase
Double Track will continue
Congestion in some SHS dormitories will continue
Delays in student loans will continue
What can citizens do?
Ask your MP to block the Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Amendment) Bill which is now at the Finance Committee after its first reading.
That pernicious Bill, when passed, means doom for our education sector.
Kindly Share to create awareness!
Source ; Kofi Asare of Eduwatch
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