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21.08.2012 General News

Nana Akufo-Addo Defends SHS Funding

By Kobby Asmah - Daily Graphic
Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP flag bearerNana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, NPP flag bearer
21.08.2012 LISTEN

The presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, will spend less than two per cent of Gross Domestic Product in terms of additional cost to fund his free Senior High School (SHS) education programme.

Currently, the country spends less than five per cent of GDP on education.

A source close to the NPP flag bearer told graphic.com.gh in an exclusive interview Monday that this and other technical details would be revealed when Nana Akufo-Addo takes his turn at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA)-organised encounter with the public Tuesday.

The encounter, slated for two weeks ago, had to be rescheduled to allow for the burial and funeral celebration of late President J.E.A. Mills.

The evening encounter is part of the IEA’s efforts to promote issue-based elections and deepen multiparty democracy in the country.

According to the source, the flag bearer does not think that any Ghanaian child should be denied the opportunity to access education.

The source said it was the belief of the flag bearer to build a society of opportunities for all, declaring that his policy on free education for all would be hinged on quality.

In the view of the flag bearer, free education and quality education can go hand in hand, saying, “If we focus only on quality education, a lot of parents cannot afford to send their children and wards to SHS.”

On how the flag bearer was going to fund the cost of education, the source mentioned prudent use of resources, guarding the public purse against corruption and using part of revenue generated from the oil find.

The source dismissed the notion that the flag bearer was going to raise taxes to fund his educational policy, saying that “we do not need to raise taxes for this; we have the capacity to raise money without hurting any social interventions”.

It said in 2000, Ghana spent 3.8 per cent on education and by 2008, after rebasing the economy, the country spent 5.8 per cent but was currently spending less than five per cent of its GDP on education.

He cited Malaysia, South Korea, Norway and Japan, among other countries, which did not necessarily have natural resources but had developed their human capital for the benefit of their countries.

Even in Africa, the source mentioned countries such as Kenya, which spends 6.7 per cent, South Africa, six per cent, and Lesotho, 13 per cent of GDP on education.

On what it meant by free and quality education, the source said in the view of the flag bearer, it included boarding, lodging and meals.

It said the policy would also focus on teacher training, incentives for teachers, as well as effective supervision and learning.

The source said the Inspectorate Unit of the Ghana Education Service would also be reviewed and revamped to become more functional.

In the medium to long term, the flag bearer proposes to construct more schools closer to communities.

The source indicated that in the view of the flag bearer, Ghana could no longer waste any more time in developing its human resource base for a transformational growth and an accelerated development.

The source further said “people should not doubt the NPP when it comes to education, “saying that “Nana Akufo-Addo feels he is who he today — a successful lawyer, now a politician hoping to lead the country — because of the education he had.

The flag bearer does not think any Ghanaian child should be denied opportunity. He wants to build a society of opportunities, the source added.

As part of his 35-minute speech, Nana Akufo-Addo would also focus on governance and leadership, health, economy and job creation, as well as infrastructural development, with special attention on housing.

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