Okyenhene endorses free SHS

The Okyenhene, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin, says the state is duty-bound to invest in education to enable children have access to free and quality education.

 
Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin noted that the country's children cannot be left out of education, maintaining that education in the country needs both access and affordability.

 
The Okyenhene who was not shy of being tagged as promoting the political agenda of one political party, fears Ghana may not be able to compete with powerful nations without investing heavily in education.

 
He was speaking yesterday at the Eminent Chiefs lecture series organised by the Institute for Democratic Governance, towards peaceful elections 2012.

 
Education has taken centre-stage in the campaigns by the leading contending political parties ahead of the December 7 elections, particularly the opposition NPP and ruling NDC.

 
While the NPP's flag-bearer, Nana Akufo-Addo has pledged to revise the policy of basic education and make it free to the Senior High School level, the NDC led by incumbent president John Mahama says its policy is to eradicate schools under trees, expand access to education and reduce education cost - something they say is more feasible than the NPP's promise.

 
“Poverty should never stand in the way of God's child to receive proper education; we must learn to provide escape from poverty....It is about time school children go to school and have access free,” the Okyehene emphasised.

 
The King of Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Area questioned the rationale behind the state providing free vehicles to ministers and political appointees while education for its future leaders cannot be provided free of charge.

 
He condemned successive governments for not doing much to improve the quality of education in the country as was started by first president Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

 
He said Dr. Nkrumah left Ghana a legacy of education that made people go to school, wondering why the current crop of leaders should “deny those coming after us that same opportunity”.

 
“Those who benefited from it and could not hold it have done a disservice to Dr. Nkrumah,” Okyenhene regretted.

 
He proposed the decentralisation of the educational system for effective management, insisting the current system only created bureaucratic bottlenecks that bred inefficiencies that cripple the system.

 
“Decentralise the country right now! Education must be decentralised....the centrality of government is outdated, you can't sit in Accra and control schools in Bolga,” the Okyenhene stressed.

 
The Okyenhene also stressed the need to make the law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies function in order to maintain law and order.

 
He warned of the imminent danger of the illegal mining known popularly as “Galamsey” which he said could pose serious threats to the nation if not stopped immediately.

 
He suggested that the miners should be properly trained and licensed to enable them operate within the ambit of the law.

 
Credit: Myjoyonline.com