Private Schools Should Also Benefit From Free BECE Registration

An appeal has been made to the government to extend the payment of the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) registration fee to candidates in private schools.

This was contained press statement issued by the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) in Kumasi.

It was jointly signed by Mr' Enoch Gyetuah, its National Executive Director, and Mr. Edward Frimpong, the National Communications Director.

The statement said 'the 1992 constitution provides for free compulsory universal basic education (FCUBE)' and it was therefore only appropriate that no Ghanaian child was discriminated against.

It reminded the government of its responsibility of ensuring that all children completed basic education.

This could not be divorced from the payment of the examination fee of every candidate be they in public or private schools.

'GNACOPS expresses dissatisfaction with the current arrangement, where BECE registration fee of students in private schools is paid by the parent, while that of their public counterparts is taken care of by the government.'

The statement said it was the position of the association that the West African Examination Council (WAEC) proposed fee of GHȼ75.00 for every candidate should be met from the national budget.

'We do not want to believe that anybody is saying children in the private schools are not Ghanaians. Their parents are also tax payers and rightly deserve fair share of the national cake.'

GNA
By Abigail N-ebene Baka, GNA