Over-crowded schools to run shift system

Wa, Oct. 30, GNA- All Basic schools that enroll more that their existing structures in their campuses because of the capitation grant would be given the mandate to run shift system in order to give the children equal opportunities, Mr. Cletus S. Paaga, Upper West Regional Director of Education has announced.

The capitation grant, he said, apart from encouraging children of school-going age to go school has also brought back children who had to abandon school years back because of school fess. Mr. Paaga revealed this during an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Wa on Sunday when he explained some of the issues surrounding the capitation grant and its benefits to the general public. The Regional Director said all schools in the region had received their cheques for administration, adding that by the end of October the real enrolment figures would have been ready for the government to further release the remaining funds accordingly.

"For what the government has released now, it has to wait for the final enrolment figures before it will release the rest of the funds according to figures various schools provided.

Mr. Paaga was optimistic that enrolment figures would be double that of last year and called on teachers to prepare adequately for the coming task so as to uplift education from its current status. He also appealed to parents to provide the other needs of the children now that the burden of paying school fees was no longer their basic problem.

He said the change of school uniform was a gradual process that would catch up in due course and appealed to teachers not to pressurize parents and children to radically change into their new school uniforms.