Basic schools struggling because you’ve refused to pay Capitation Grant – MP to Akufo-Addo

Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr Clement Apaak, says basic schools in the country are struggling to fund sports activities because the government is failing to disclose the capitation grant.

The educationist and former lecturer at the University of Ghana said this is another example of what he described as neglect of our public schools by the current Nana Addo-Bawumiua-led administration.

The MP for Builsa South said the information he had gathered shows that although the various schools are to prepare the sporting activities, they do not have the financial resources to help them do so.

He said most of the heads of schools use their meagre salaries to cater for the inter-school competitions.

He stressed that our public basic school system is collapsing, and the sooner Ghanaians call on the government to disburse the capitation grant to the schools, the better for the future of Ghana.

Read the full statement below.

Basic Schools are struggling to fund sports activities due to the government’s refusal to disburse the Capitation Grant. This is yet another example of the neglect of our public basic schools by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government. See below communication on the current dire situation.

*UPCOMING* *INTER* *CIRCUITS* *SPORTS* *COMPETITION* *AND* *MATTERS* *ARISING*

It has come to the attention of the Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) that, the Sports and Culture Unit is prepping to organize Inter Circuits Sports Competition and has therefore charged the various Circuit Sports Secretaries to prepare their teams towards the aforementioned competitions with the key objective of selecting players to form the District Team. There is a saying in Akan “y3n kote aduro mmraa 3noa ne ahahan ”.To wit, money is key in the aforementioned competitions.

It is obvious that in preparing the Circuits’ Teams, Schools usually pay or contribute monies (Affiliation Fee) but it is crystal clear that no school in the district can boast of a dime in the school’s coffers.

It is also paramount to note that most of the Heads used their own meagre salaries to cater for the Inter-Schools Gala Competitions that were held last term because the Capitation Grant disbursed was woefully inadequate.

We (COHBS) wish to bring it to the attention of the Sports and Culture Unit that we love our students and wish they thrive in their various fields, but we have sacrificed enough and this time our resources have been depleted therefore we are not in the position to finance any activities with our meagre salaries.

I’ve omitted the district's name and the district representative of the Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) to protect him/her from victimisation.

Our public basic school system is collapsing, the sooner we all call on the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government to disburse the Capitation Grant, the better for the future of Ghana.

In Solidarity,

Dr. Clement Apaak

M.P, Builsa South and Deputy Ranking Member On Education Committee of Parliament