Government urged to grant soft loans to private schools

Agona Swedru, May 31, GNA - The Executive Director of the Solid Foundation Preparatory School, Mr Justice Arhinful Yankson, has appealed to the government to assist private schools to improve their infrastructure and equipment to enhance education.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Agona Swedru on Tuesday, Mr Yankson said they should be given soft loans, which would enable their proprietors to employ qualified staff and materials to promote teaching and learning.

He identified private schools as "partners in development" and said the government should help them to play the roles expected of the effectively.

The Executive Director stressed the need to extend the Ghana Educational Trust Fund GETFUND to private schools, saying, "private institutions have been pushed to the wall since they are playing vital role".

He stated that children attending private schools should also enjoy the national cake since their parents also contributed to the socio-economic development of the country.

Mr Yankson appealed to the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to increase the supply of textbooks to cover all subjects.

He said a new site was ready for use and stated that the school would soon move to ease congestion and to desist from sending them to public schools when confronted with their bills. Mrs Rebecca Lartey, Headmistress expressed concern about the refusal of the Agona District Assembly to remove refuse containers close to the school to avoid an epidemic.

She urged parents at Agona Nsaba to enrol their children at the branch of the institution within the community.