Former President John Dramani Mahama during his “Ghana at a Crossroads” speech yesterday May 2nd 2022 outlined Nana Addo’s education sector failures which continue to negatively influence the education sector.
He indicated that the Ghanaian economy was suffering from a cash crunch, which has had serious negative implications on the education sector and other sectors of the economy.
“As we speak, the cash crunch arising out of the rigidities in the economy is having a devastating toll on almost all sectors of our national life.”
Speaking about President Nana Addo’s education sector failures, he indicated that, the cash crunch arising out of the rigidities in the economy has seriously suffocated the education sector, hence the challenges that bedevil it today.
Nana Addo’s education sector failures caused by mismanagement according to John Dramani Mahama
The former president stated that the delay in Capitation grants which is in arrears for many years is one of Nana Addo’s education sector failures.
He further mentioned that basic schools have not been supplied textbooks for effective teaching and learning for the past three years.
These challenges and those at the SHS level have compounded the education sector’s shortcomings. Nana Addo’s education sector failures according to him can be seen in the Secondary schools as well as schools are faced with delays in the release of funds for taking care of students. This according to him has crippled the Free SHS program.
These challenges led to the CHASS and GNAT coming out to issue ultimatums to the government, he added.
SHSs across the country have been affected by food shortages, which has led to the provision of less nutritious and poor-quality meals for students in school.
In a related development, recently, secondary school students had to be fed with Gari Jollof and the annoying tasteless Donkey Saliva to manage the impact food shortage in secondary schools is having on students.
The academic calendar has become erratic due to the non-availability of funds to run the schools
At the tertiary level” He stated during his “Ghana at a Crossroads” speech.
In relation to challenges bedeviling the tertiary education sector, Mahama said, the protracted UTAG strike action resulting from the lack of government’s commitment to ending the salary rationalization and better conditions of service discussions had a serious impact on university education in public tertiary institutions and affected teaching and learning.
While speaking about Nana Addo’s education sector failures, former president Mahama added that the vacation period of students in colleges of education has been increased as a result of lack of funds to take care of the needs of students whiles the trainees do not see their allowance being paid any money soon.
College of Education students have spent more time at home than in school because of the lack of funds and; Trainee allowances have been in arrears for several months amidst threats by school authorities to shift the cost of feeding unto students in the absence of timely release of funds by the government.”
The former president accused the government of mismanaging the GETFund which has further worsened the challenges facing the education sector.
Ghana graduates students every year yet, unemployment remains a major social and economic problem as many of such graduates do not find any decent work to do. According to John Dramani Mahama, “Millions of Ghanaian youth with higher education, are trapped in the situation of a permanent purgatory with no clear indication that they can obtain gainful employment before they turn 60 years and retire from unemployment.”
The chastised President Akufo Addo for using scarce resources of the state for luxurious chartered flights and other wasteful engagements instead of turning to the youth.
During his speech, former President John Dramani Mahama called on Ghanaians to think through the second stanza of the National Anthem. He indicated that “We have always sang the first stanza of our national anthem, which asks for God’s blessings on our homeland Ghana and enjoins us to resist oppressors’ rule. Many have not taken the time to observe the second stanza of our national anthem. The lyrics bear reflection:”
The Ghana National Anthem – Stanza 2
Hail to thy name, O Ghana,
To thee we make our solemn vow:
Steadfast to build together, A nation strong in Unity,
With our gifts of mind and strength of arm, Whether night or day, in mist or storm,
In every need, whate’er the call may be,
To serve thee, O Ghana, now and evermore.
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According to Mahama, the anthem calls all Ghanaians to unite and join forces using their gifts and minds to serve mother Ghana irrespective of our background. He added that it was unfair for any Ghanaian to sit on the fence and be an observer since that will not help in the building of the nation.
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“History will not remember us kindly if we accept the gradual degradation of our society and do not make an attempt to inspire ourselves to make a difference in our generation.” He added.
Source: GhanaWebNews.Org