Mr. Divine Kpe, the Senior Programmes Officer at Africa Education Watch, has emphasized the need for the next government to redouble efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target on Education by 2030. Speaking at a zonal consultative and town hall meeting in Wa, Mr. Kpe called upon leaders of political parties and citizens alike to ensure that education-related issues are prominently featured in their manifestos for the upcoming 2024 general election.
The event, organized by the SGF in collaboration with the Community Development Alliance (CDA), aimed to gather stakeholders' inputs to influence political party manifestos for the upcoming elections. Traditional leaders, representatives of youth groups, students, and vulnerable and marginalized groups participated in the discussions.
Mr. Kpe highlighted several challenges in the education sector, including the gap between urban and rural schools in terms of quality, access, and resource distribution. He noted that despite the Ghana Education Service's protocol for basic schools to be within a three to five-kilometer radius, many children in rural communities have to travel farther distances to access basic education. Other challenges identified included furniture deficits, disparities in academic performance between rural and urban schools, and equal access for Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to quality education.
The discussion paper presented suggested a reevaluation of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy to ensure that those who truly need the intervention benefit from it. Mr. Kpe pointed out that financial challenges, including the procurement of items listed in school prospectuses, additional feeding costs, and transportation, have prevented about 250,000 children from accessing secondary education despite the existence of the FSHS policy.
In addition to education, the event also addressed healthcare and social protection issues. Mr. Caeser Kaba Kogoziga, a Health Economist and Consultant, stressed the importance of a robust health sector accessible to all Ghanaians. Factors affecting the health sector's performance, including distance to health facilities and the availability of service providers, were discussed.
Dr. Emmanuel Kumi, a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Social and Policy Studies, University of Ghana, highlighted concerns about the effectiveness of social protection systems, particularly for vulnerable individuals in urban areas. Participants identified key priorities for inclusion in party manifestos, including inclusive education, improvement in the patient-doctor ratio, and the passage of the Affirmative Action Bill. They also emphasized the need for efficient funding of social protection programs and the establishment of robust data systems for vulnerable and marginalized populations.