A former Education Minister under the Rawlings regime, Dr. Spio Garbrah mocked the government’s much touted “Free SHS policy” arguing that it is not achievable.
“There can never be free education because parents must have some responsibility for their children’s education. Total freedom is not desirable and that explains the NDC, the NPP and the CPP past government’s inability to provide free education.”
He sarcastically admonished government to include “One student-one guinea fowl” to complete the concept if it is achievable.
Dr. Spio Garbrah was addressing the 17th Annual Delegates Congress of the University Students Association of Ghana on the theme, “Exploring alternative avenues for funding university education: the role of stakeholders,” held at the University for Development Studies Tamale City campus, Dungu.
He nonetheless proffered alternative sources for funding university education by admonishing government to plug tax loopholes and use a chunk of the revenue to fund education.
According to him, universities Internally Generated Funds alone are woefully inadequate for funding projects and thus challenged the authorities to be business oriented.
He tasked university authorities to build stadia, more conference halls and provide catering services to organizations.
He also called on university authorities to form joint ventures with the private sector through agribusiness and entreated traditional rulers to establish education endowment funds to support needy but brilliant students.
He further appreciated the role of religious bodies in the education sector and urged them to do more.
Pro Vice Chancellor of the University for Development Studies, Professor Seidu Alhassan bemoaned universities inadequate resources making it impossible for expansion of structures and students intake.
“Dwindling nature of the 60% funding from government is so worrisome and we don’t even get what we ask for in our budgets presented to government.”
“Alternative sources of revenue mobilization for university education funding is very paramount because the GETfund allocation is minimal.”
He described as a daunting task government’s request for 3.4% of universities IGF to be paid into the national kitty.
Professor Seidu Alhassan called for transparency and accountability in the process of Parliamentary approval of university fees.”
Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Solomon Boar reiterated government’s free SHS policy implementation by September.
He said government was determined to improve educational standards as means of augmenting the human resource base.
Source: citifmonline.com
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They think they can use propagada to confuse we the parents. You had your eight years in power and you messed it up with insults to elders, corruption and leaving debt in all government institutions like the energy sector and the NHIA. You think we parents will vote for you to mess up the Free SHS as you did to the NHIS. You could not manage NHIS, how can you manage the free SHS. Former president Mahama has disgrace the NDC such that no rational Ghanaian will vote for NDC. All the social interventions left by the Kuffour administration were bridled with corruption like the YEA(GYEDA), SADA, NHIS, School feeding. You used the as an avenue to create loot and share.
if u cant beat them just join them so spio if u cant join the competent government then shut**up*. The only imposibility is for NDC to come to power again
NDC paaaaa!! Look at the thinking of someone who want to be president, no doubt on the ticket of NDC. Reasoning like one of their serial callers.
WHY DOES HE CALL HIMSELF OR USES THE TITLE DR. HE IS NOT AN ACADEMIC DR. ITS JUST AN HONORARY TITTLE AND HE USES IT AS IF HE HAS A PHD OR A DOCTORATE DEGREE. ANYWAYS BACK TO HIS COMMENTS/STATEMENT,MR. SPIO,JUST WAIT AND SEE,SEPTEMBER IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER AND ALL GHANAIAN WILL KNOW IF IT WILL WORK OR NOT. MEANWHILE STOP USING THE TITTLE DR.COS ITS JUST AN HONORARY TITTLE.