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The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has called on the ruling New Patriotic Party government to consider prioritising the development of infrastructure in various basic schools across the country.
The Union said despite the improvement in enrollment at the basic school level in the country, the infrastructure deficit is not encouraging in most areas and deserves much attention.
NUGS made the suggestions on Wednesday, 31 August 2022, through its President, Dennis Appiah Larbi-Ampofo, when he led a delegation to pay a courtesy call on President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House.
“Over the last few years, as a country, we have appreciated when it comes to basic school enrolment. We have gotten up to about 95%, but we still have a critical issue in rural areas and that is basic school infrastructure.
“Mr President, on the behalf of the people across the corners and quarters of this country, we are begging you that, going forward, if it is possible, which I know it is possible, we should prioritize basic school infrastructure” Larbi-Ampofo the NUGS president said in his address.
He acknowledged further that President Akudo-Addo’s government has been tremendously supportive when it comes to the second cycle and tertiary education.
Commenting on the government’s school feeding programme, Dennis Appiah Larbi-Ampofo said there is disquiet among students because resources allocated for the programme are inadequate.
“Young people who benefit from the school feeding programme are complaining and the complaint is very simple; that the amount of money earmarked for the school feeding programme is woefully inadequate.
“My last checks clearly reveal that it is less than a cedi. It takes a magician to feed anybody in this country with less than a cedi. We are begging you and your good office to look at it and it must be quick” he noted.
He appealed to the president to give the needed attention the programme deserves, to sustain it since bears on the UN’s sustainable development goal on malnutrition and ending hunger.
Addressing the leadership of NUGS, President Akufo-Addo was thankful for their call, adding that it is in the right direction and said the Education Ministry is seriously looking at the issues to address them going forward.
“I think that the emphasizes that you are placing on the need for us to prioritize basic school infrastructure is a good emphasizes. All those who are involved in the thinking and practice of educational policy will always tell you that the critical work is done at the basic level” President Akufo-Addo said.
President Akufo-Addo in response to the concern about school feeding and other concerns assured that government will do well to address them amidst the economic crisis facing the country.
“I think they are legitimate matters you have put before us. They are serious matter and I think that they are matters that we need to deal with” President Akufo-Addo said.
