Free Education Causing Parental Disinterest In Wards Education: Teacher

Some teachers in the Bolgatanga Municipality are complaining that the perception that children’s education should be free and financed by Government is creating apathy among parents who are refusing to participate in the education of their children.

The teachers complain that Parents are refusing to make any financial contribution to support the schools at the basic level even though that is where resources are needed most. They observe that Parents are behaving as if the state is taking over everything about their children and not even supervising them. In spite of Government support, basic schools still need support from parents financially and by way of parents supervising the children. These revelations were made in Bolgatanga during a durbar of teachers of JHS 3 pupils and district education oversight committee members and parents in a meeting with Government task force headed by the Deputy Minister of Education; Hon. Mahama Ayariga who currently touring the three Northern Region to discuss the heavy failures that happen when pupils from the three Northern Regions write the BECE.

Hon. Mahama Ayariga urged teachers to challenge themselves to improve the performance for the children since the evidence shows that the critical role of the teachers cannot be contested. Mr. Ayariga gave several instances of communities that face the same difficulties in the North but have been able to make serious improvements in the performance of their pupils in the BECE.

He said that teachers all over Northern Ghana face the same challenges so excuses cannot be made since some districts in the North have registered outstanding performances. He paid tribute to teachers in Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo for improving their pass rate from 21% to 65% within two years through effective supervision of teachers. He also recognised the efforts of Nanumba North District which in spite of various challenges placed 8th in the whole country. He urged teachers and directors of education in the other districts to emulate these examples.

In a related development, the Bolewura has urged chiefs to play a role in arresting the failing standards in basic education. The Bolewura made the call when the Deputy Minister of Education Hon. Mahama Ayariga called on him in his palace at Bole. The Bolewura asked all his sub-chiefs to get interested in the activities of the basic schools in their communities and report teachers and head teachers who are failing in their responsibilities. He also tasked the chiefs to make sure that pupils are in school all the times when they are suppose to be in school. The Deputy Minister urged the Chiefs to take charge of their children’s education since that is their future; he also urged them to be interested in schools in their communities since the schools in the communities are their schools. Hon. Ayariga assured the chiefs of the Government’s commitment in improving the performance of their children.