The Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) has disclosed that while enrolment at private pre-tertiary institutions has gone down by some 20 percent, the cost of running schools has gone up by 39.7 percent. The Association has thus asked government to extend the moratorium for repayment of loans offered to private schools under the Corona Alleviation Programme (CAP).
The Association has also asked government to commit resources to sustaining private schools. He said failure on the part of government to do that will mean that some private schools across the country will go under.
The Acting President of GNAPS, Dr. Damasus Tuurosong shared these concerns when he spoke to A1 Radio at Wa ahead of the 2022 Budget Statement and Economic Policy, on the 17th of November 2021. “Many private schools are struggling to keep afloat and to continue operating efficiently. From next academic year, we are supposed to begin repaying the stimulus package that was given to us. One proposal was if the package given to be converted into a grant which would mean that it was just meant to assist private schools,” he explained.
On the increase in the cost of running the schools, Dr. Tuurosong explained that the expansion of infrastructure to help schools adhere to health and safety protocols has been a big drain on the budgets of schools. “We have reduced student numbers in class. We have had to extend infrastructure to ensure social distance. We have had to decrease the number of students that sit in our buses so they do not become crowded. We have had to provide for PPEs for our tutors and other staff. All these have affected our costs of operations,” he explained.
Dr. Tuurosong also asked government to support private schools with the procurement of sanitary materials to aid in the containment of the COVID-19 disease adding that “we are still not in normal times”.
On the National Standardized Examination to be written, the Acting President of GNAPS asked that government include in its budget, financial provisions for private institutions.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
