News:
September 15, 2017
The honorable Member of Parliament (MP) for the Bawku Central constituency in the Upper East region, Mahama Ayariga is urging government to collaborate with private schools in the country as it rolls out the implementation of its free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
According to him government would benefit tremendously if it collaborates with private Senior High Schools by posting students to study in those institutions.
The MP agreed with proposals by the associations of private schools that qualified students are given stipends to enroll in their schools.
He noted the proposal as very important since government could kill two birds with one stone because it would be encouraging the private sector even as it takes the huge burden off government in the provision of additional education infrastructure to accommodate the increasing number of students.
“If you encourage the private sector and they invest in the infrastructure, the new government only gets to pay stipends to students who will be paying gradually over a period of time for the private investor to recoup their investment, whiles the State will be relieved of immediately investing in both infrastructure and managing the personnel,” the MP explained on an Accra based Citi fm.
The inclusion of private schools he observed could also enhance standards in the public schools.
The implementation of the free SHS policy has threatened operators in the Private sector who feared they could be thrown out of business hence the call for consideration.
Government has since the advent of the Computer placement exercise posted students to private schools but this did not happen in 2017.
By Christian Kpesese/ ghanamps.com