A communication team member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Asahiman Constituency, Selorm Avedetsi, has attributed the rising financial pressures in some public basic schools to the proliferation of private schools, which he says has contributed to unregulated charges and exploitation.
He was reacting to a statement from the Ghana Education Service (GES), which has denied authorising any school to charge students or parents under any guise, including so-called feeding fees. GES cautioned that any institution engaging in such practices is acting unlawfully and without approval, adding that government’s commitment to the Free Senior High School policy remains unchanged.
Speaking on Plan B FM’s Nkosuo Nsem, Mr. Avedetsi argued that the operations of some private schools have turned education into a business venture, influencing practices in public schools. According to him, this culture has also affected some teachers and headteachers in public institutions, who allegedly introduce informal charges during PTA meetings in an attempt to supplement their incomes.
He further claimed that concerns raised by some second-cycle schools about food shortages are sometimes exaggerated, describing them as tactics used to justify additional funding that may not always be properly accounted for.
Mr. Avedetsi characterised such practices as greed and corruption, while also criticising parents for their perception that private schools offer better quality education, a mindset he believes continues to weaken confidence in public basic schools.
By: Bernard Mensah |Planbfmonline.com
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