The Ministry of Education has urged the general public to disregard the opportunistic and desperate attempts being employed by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to paint a contrary picture of the Meeting the Minister had with the leadership of Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNCPS) and the Ghana Association of Private Schools (GNAPS).
In a Press Release signed by Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng, Press Secretary to the Minister, he noted that on Wednesday, 2nd and Thursday 3rd September 2020, the Minister received delegation from GNCPS and GNAPS at the Ministry to discuss a number of issues.
He said, officials from the Ministry, GES, and the National Inspectorate Board were present at that meeting where issues discussed were around post-COVID-19 challenges in the education sector and the way forward, the reopening of schools, private schools and their livelihoods and the sustenance of their businesses.
The Ministry, he indicated was taken aback by various Social Media posts suggesting that a meeting was held between the Minister, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh and representatives of private schools to facilitate the extension of the Free Senior High School programme to various schools following the NDC’s manifesto promise to do so if voted into power.
The Release noted that the said posts are false and should be disregarded.
“It must be noted that no meetings were held before the launch of the NDC Manifesto on Monday 7th September 2020….The discussions between the Minister and the delegations were frank and healthy, and common ground was found on several issues.”
The Ministry also said, following the meetings, a post was made on the Ministry’s Facebook page, from which it is verifiable that the meetings took place on “the dates as stated earlier, and therefore could not possible have been held following the launch of the NDC Manifesto.”
Rodney Nkrumah-Boateng noted that government remains commitment to ensuring success of the Free SHS to improve both access and quality education for Ghanaian children and would not be side-tracked from that objective.
