Private Pre-Tertiary Schools congratulate Education Minister

The Conference of Directors of Private Pre-Tertiary Schools-Ghana (CODPPTS), has congratulated Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, on his elevation to the position of Minister of Education.

"Having been sworn into office by President Nana Akufo-Addo recently after his successful vetting and approval by Parliament, we are of high expectations that, Dr Adutwum will not waver in his passion to transform Ghana’s Education sector into an enviable position to match others globally," read a statement signed by Philip Boateng Mensah, President, CODPPTS, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra.

The Conference wished to see the Minister carry the private schools' operators along in his quest to transform the education sector, whose products would be well equipped to bring the needed change to advance Ghana’s development agenda.

"CODPPTS, views his appointment as great news for the Education sector, which is the bedrock for quality human resource development to propel Ghana into an enviable height in terms of social, political, economic, cultural and technological advancement", the statement said.

The statement said it was the expectation that his experience in the USA and Ghana in managing private schools, and the responsibilities as Ghana’s Deputy Minister of Education, during the first term of President Akuffo Addo’s government, would blend nicely as he discharges his substantive Education Minister portfolio mandate with stakeholders both in the public and private sectors.

"We will not hesitate to have a proactive engagement with him to share ideas on Ghana’s private pre-tertiary schools, with the understanding that, the Private pre-tertiary schools have, and will continue to play a pivotal role in complementing the public sector schools in opening the doors for more Ghanaian children to access education".

Section 23 (5) and (6) of the Education Act 2008 Act 778 states (5) “the proprietor of a private educational institution shall not set, change or raise the level of fees without the consent of the Minister” and (6)” A proprietor who contravenes a provision of this section or of the regulations, commits an offense and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding 2500 penalty units or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding five years or both.”

The Conference considered these provisions as unfair and inconsistent with the spirit and letter of Article 25 (2) of the 1992 Constitution which provides that “Every person shall have the right, at his own expense, to establish and maintain a private school or schools at all levels and of such categories and in accordance with such conditions as may be provided by law”.

The statement called for a Council for the private pre-tertiary schools or a regulatory body aside from the National Schools Inspectorate Authority to streamline the system effectively.

It said the decision to allocate 30 percent placement of Grade ‘A’ schools to public schools before the remaining 70 percent were allocated to all basic schools in Ghana after BECE was unconstitutional and an act of discrimination against private schools, urging government to take a second look at the policy.

We call on the Minister to initiate steps to make the schools where candidates sat the BECE signature and stamp mandatory to validate the school placement/enrolment form. As the situation stands now, the schools or the clergy’s signature validates the school placement form.

“However, where the candidates have not settled their outstanding bills but can easily have a Clergy to endorse the form, make the candidates go away with the fees owing. This is not good for the financial health of the Private Schools”.