Deputy Education Minister in charge of Tertiary Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says president Mahama needs commendation for inaugurating the Kwaobaah Nyanoa Community Day School for the Upper West Akyem District which is welcome news for citizens in that part of the country.
He said the students, chiefs and queen mothers are delighted because till today never has a Senior High School be erected in the area adding since the first Senior High School was erected in 1836 and for over 200 years the country possessed less than 600 public Senior High Schools.
Mr. Ablakwa stated: “So in light of this history, for president Mahama of his own volition pledge building 200 Public Day Senior High Schools within the first term of his governorship is visionary.”
According to the Deputy Minister, by providing the schools, 1,000 students who had or would be denied access to higher learning due to infrastructure constraint can now access education.
He said the 3 Public Day Senior High Schools before this fourth one had absorbed 970 students who faced a bleak future adding “only god knows how they would have turned out without these new schools.”
“Things are not entirely rosy but president Mahama is right when he says the right things have been done to stimulate economic growth. As the president stated at the inauguration, only 6 Ghanaian firms had asphalt plants sometime back today 22 Ghanaian firms own asphalt plants and they are earning money thanks to the expanding infrastructure base.”
He was not surprised that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) would use Kojo Oppng Nkrumah to question the gains of Mr. Mahama because he has held no political office and carries no baggage.
“The NPP which Kojo projects have 58 broken promises from their 2000 manifesto ranging from failing with their rail transport transformation to what have you. Kojo cannot debate on the broken promises of the NPP. They promised module Senior High Schools but couldn’t build one single one” the minister declared.
He rubbished suggestions that the Day Schools were not necessary and are only wealth creating avenues for cronies.
“The criteria for the schools are out there. It is meant for 23 districts that have no SHS as well as districts who have limited SHS. Ideally a Senior High School should not hold more than 1,500 students but there cases where schools hold over 3000 students. Such schools need to be decongested” the minister who doubles as the North Tongu MP declared.
He assured, contractors such as Consar and Autentic have proven records stressing the projects are in the national interest and have gone through the tendering process.
“We hope to bring more SHS to the grade ‘A’ level. It must however be stated that the president never said he will build 50 Senior High Schools every year rather the pledge was to erect 200 Public Day Senior High Schools in the first 4 year term.
“As we speak (123) of the schools are at various stages of construction with an additional 28 set to roll before president Mahama’s first year expires” Mr. Ablakwa submitted to Richard Sky on Eye Witness news.
