Disbursement of GH¢50 million stimulus to private schools approved – NBSSI

Executive Director of the National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), Kosi Yankey-Ayeh, has revealed approval has been given for the disbursement of stimulus packages to over 1,000 private schools in Ghana to support them in the wake of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

However, she said, not all the schools have yet received their packages.

She explained on the New Day on TV3, Monday September 13, that there are issues with the bank accounts of the others that are yet to receive theirs. This she said is being addressed by the schools to enable them receive the package.

Ms Yankey-Ayeh told host of the programme, Etornam Sey, that the government had budgeted GH¢50million.

She said “In thinking about the pain of the private teachers or the people that work for them and the challenges they are going through at this time, government then thought it wise to commit about 50 million cedis of funds to support the schools and to also support the private teachers , so I think it is very commendable. We are doing all that we can to ensure that we get to them.

Private schools petitioned the government to support deal with the ravages of the Coronavirus pandemic.

In a petition to President Akufo-Addo, the Educational consultancy, Neogenics Education Group revealed that “80% of private school proprietors are unable to meet basic salaries of teachers and office staff (over 400,000).”

The petition revealed that parents are unwilling to pay outstanding fees from the previous term in 67% of private schools as 85% of these institutions acquire virtual learning platforms and resources to continue educating children through distance learning.