NPP's failure to continue E-blocks projects worsened SHS placement crisis — Tanko Computer

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), Rashid Tanko Computer, has blamed the failure of the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration to continue the construction of community-based E-block schools for some of the access challenges associated with the Computerized School Placement System.

He said the introduction of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme increased pressure on existing school infrastructure, making investment in additional facilities critical to absorbing the growing number of students.

Tanko Computer made the remarks on TV3’s New Day on Tuesday, September 8, while reacting to recent challenges associated with the Computerized School Placement System.

“When they rolled out the Free SHS system, we told them about infrastructure access. You see, access is key because if you look at population, the number of students being churned out from the basic schools that move to the upper basic, which is the JHS system, from there to move to the SHS, you are going to have an explosion," he said.

According to him, the E-block initiative was introduced to bridge the infrastructure gap and expand access to secondary education, particularly in areas where existing schools were insufficient.

He argued that the failure to continue the project over the past eight years had denied the country additional school infrastructure that could have helped ease pressure on the placement system.

The GIFEC CEO also defended the decision to locate some E-blocks away from densely populated communities, explaining that the intention was to open up new areas for development rather than concentrate schools in already congested urban centres.

“If they[NPP] had done something about it, I'm sure it would have helped the issue of accessibility," said the NDC stalwart.