Increase Education Budget To 23%; EDUWATCH To Gov’t

Africa Education Watch (EDUWATCH) has called on the Akufo-Addo-led government to increase the budgetary allocation to the education sector.

The call comes on the commemoration of International Day of Education.

Data from the United Nations shows that 244 million children and youth are out of school, and 771 million adults are illiterate.

In Ghana, the statistical service found that 7.9 million persons aged 6 years and older are illiterate.

EDUWATCH in a press statement said allocation to education in the 2023 budget is insufficient to ensure quality in the delivery of education.

The government of Ghana in its 2023 budget statement and economic policy budgeted only GHC 24.7 billion out of the total for the education sector.

This has been criticised not just by EDUWATCH but also School for Life, a non-governmental organisation.

EDUWATCH said although the government has made significant strides towards education and expressed commitment to the same, much more is needed.

“Ghana, like many countries, has committed to ensuring all children of basic school-going age, enrol and complete the full course of basic education with relevant learning outcomes by 2030. While Ghana has since made significant strides over the years to promote access to education for many children, there still remain 1 million children out of school – approximately 9% of children aged 4 -16.”

It wants the government to increase the current 12% allocation to education to 23% in line with the President’s commitment at the 2022 United Nations Transforming Education Summit.

“At least 10% of the Goods and Services budget and 33% of the infrastructure budget of the education sector must be committed to basic education, if we are to invest adequately to build new schools to replace the over 5,000 schools currently under trees and sheds, and provide education for the 1 million out of school children”, it noted.

It concluded, “the Government of Ghana must walk the talk!”

This year’s International Education Day is under the theme “to invest in people, prioritise education” and is dedicated to women and girls in Afghanistan who have been deprived of their right to education.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini