Agona West School heads cry over non-payment of grants

Heads of Public Basic Schools in the Agona West Municipality have expressed deep concern about the long delay in the payment of over two years arrears of capitation grants, chalks and registers to schools.

According to the heads, lack of supply of these logistics had made it extremely difficult for the running and managing of the schools as purely public educational institutions.

Mr Joseph K. Otabil, Chairman of the Heads of Basic Schools Union, expressed the concern when the Agona West Assembly presented 400 mono-desks to public and private schools at Agona Swedru.

Mr Otabil who is also the headteacher of the Swedru “B” Basic School said the schools have not received chalks, Registers and grants from the government over the past months.

He said if the situation was not ratified, it could affect the quality of education Ghanaians were expecting to better their lives.

Mr Otabil commended the Assembly for the supply of desks to the schools, and appealed to the Assembly and the central government to continue with the gesture to promote education.

Mr Samuel Oppong, Agona West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), assured the Heads that the Assembly would procure chalks and other teaching materials for them when schools re-opened.

He said efforts were being made by the government to pay the arrears of the capitation grant, to ensure effective teaching and learning.

The MCE said the distribution of desks and other materials to the schools was ample evidence that government was spending the tax payer's money judiciously for the benefits of Ghanaians.

He urged the heads of the beneficiary schools to maintain the desks to pro-long their life span.

Mr Oppong gave the assurance that the Assembly and the central government were doing everything possible to promote quality education.

Mr Stephen Richard Amoah, the new Agona West Municipal Director of Education, thanked the Assembly for the gesture and asked it to help solve the accommodation problem facing teachers.

Mr Charles Obeng-Inkoom, Agona West MP said, the government was working hard to reduce the economic hardship and other social difficulties confronting Ghanaians.