Dr. Apaak challenges Akufo-Addo to give a timeline to end the double track

General news for Monday, October 5, 2020

Source: Daily mail

2020-10-05

Builsa South Member of Parliament Dr. Clement Apaak has challenged President Akufo-Addo to tell Ghanaians his timeline for ending the dual track system.

According to him, former President John Dramani Mahama has outlined his plan to end the dual system, so the president should tell Ghanaians how long the track will last.

Mr. John Dramani Mahama, has announced that, within a year in office, he will eliminate the two-way system that has plagued the smooth implementation of the free SHS Program.

To achieve his goal, the former president said his government will embark on a fast-track program to complete abandoned community day schools, expand infrastructure in existing schools, and include private schools in the free SHS program.

Addressing a Durbar community of chiefs and farmers in Fawohoyeden in the North Asunafo district of the Ahafo region, Mr. Mahama said that he has always championed free quality SHS.

According to him, claims that he would cancel SHS’s free program are false, pointing out that he started the program with day students during his administration.

While acknowledging that Ghana during the NDC era was not paradise, President Mahama maintained that the NDC has a better track record than the NPP, explaining that today the whole world is suffering and can barely make ends meet.

“These days nothing works. Whether as a farmer, trader, driver or mechanic, the difficulty is unbearable everywhere, “he lamented, adding” we have to go back for the NDC and I know that by the grace of God, we will be victorious. “

He announced to the farming community that when he wins the December 2020 elections, his government will reintroduce the free cocoa fertilizer intervention that was aborted by the PNP, to bring relief to cocoa farmers.

It also outlined a number of policies contained in the 2020 NDC People’s Manifesto, including the Free Primary Health Care Plan, Free Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), and the Free Apprenticeship Program.

In reaction to this, Dr. Apaak indicated that the president does not have a superior solution to the problem compared to the solutions that Mr. Mahama has.

“For the avoidance of doubt, President Akufo-Addo, who introduced the dreaded and unpleasant two-track system because he could not anticipate the need for infrastructure, has not provided a timeline or a clear plan on how to finish it.

Let it be known that teaching and learning at the secondary level cannot be improved with the still existing two-way system. John Dramani Mahama will abolish the double track system in one year. Akufo-Addo says for 2024. The alternative is true, it is final. The alternative is better because it represents the wishes and aspirations of the people ”.

Read the full statement below

JOHN DRAMANI MAHAMA WILL COMPLETE THE DOUBLE-WAY SYSTEM IN 1 YEAR, WHAT IS THE AKUFO-ADDO SCHEDULE?

NDC flag bearer John Dramani Mahama reiterated his commitment to ending the disgusting two-way system in one year during his speech at a community durbar of chiefs and farmers in Fawohoyeden, in the North Asunafo district of the Ahafo region, on Friday in October. 1 of 2020.

John Mahama was resolute, emphatic, as he states, “Within a year in office, I will eliminate the two-way system that has plagued the smooth implementation of the free SHS Program.”

Without doubt, this continues to be comforting, welcome and refreshing news for those interested in education; students, teachers, parents, think-tanks, as Akufo-Addo has not been able to give a timeline of when the hated two-way system it introduced will end.

The excitement of seeing the demise of the two-way system with alacrity is due to how negatively it is affecting teaching and learning, as exemplified by the following:

a) A semester program that allows students to take long vacations after spending a few weeks at school;

b) A fortuitous calendar, where sometimes the reopening date of a track is hastily postponed to the detriment of the plans established by the parents and their wards;

c) Huge pressure on non-teaching staff, especially Kitchen staff, and Administrative staff, Headmasters, Senior Housemasters and Housemasters, who hardly go on vacation, among others;

d) A centralized and corrupt system where party people receive contracts to supply food without the knowledge and contribution of the school administration, resulting in the dumping of unhealthy foods and large quantities of specific foods in schools;

e) A culture of silence, where principals and senior management of schools are intimidated, penalized with transfers and / or demotions for talking about the challenges they face as a result of poor implementation of the free SHS program;

f) Refusing to allow students access to books from previous years; Juniors don’t have access to freshman and sophomore textbooks, but they need all those books to prepare for tests;

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g) Parents pay the cost of elective textbooks because the government has refused to fund the cost of elective textbooks as part of the FSHS program, among others.

To put an end to this so-called two-track anomaly or diversion, NDC Flagbearer has provided an emphatic and defined timeline; one year, to end the double track given the opportunity as president of Ghana.

Here is how:

1) Complete the Abandoned Community Day High Schools adored across the country and mention the ones that have yet to begin to complete their vision of providing 200 new schools.

2) Invest heavily to improve infrastructure needs in existing schools and establish new high schools to contain the numbers. This will be part of a massive ten billion infrastructure campaign, “Big Push”;

3) Include private private high schools in the implementation of the fSHS policy. As it stands now, several hundred private high schools are empty and on the brink of collapse.

More generally, below are the key proposals that John Dramani Mahama will implement to improve teaching and learning at the secondary level and to specifically enhance the Free Upper Secondary School Program, ensuring that its many challenges are addressed and introduce higher standards:

1) Expand the free SHS program to cover private high school students in underserved or disadvantaged areas;

2) Complete abandoned structures for secondary and technical education, including abandoned electronic blocks to serve current students and expected increase in admissions;

3) Strengthen and maintain private participation in the provision of secondary education;

4) Begin construction of at least one upper secondary school in districts without it;

5) Establish schools in underprivileged, overcrowded, and underserved areas, including Zongos and other underprivileged communities;

6) Expand existing and well-performing schools to admit and accommodate more students, including Ghanaians abroad who wish to absorb our culture in their neighborhoods;

7) Promote the use of IT and provide free Wi-Fi in schools to improve student performance;

8) Provide students and teachers with free tablets loaded with relevant content to facilitate teaching and learning;

9) Provide computer labs for all high schools;

10) Addressing challenges with the Computerized School Selection and Placement System (CSSPS);

11) Decentralize and strengthen the acquisition of food and other materials from the heads of the SHS and their treasurers;

12) Provide residential facilities in schools to accommodate teachers and educational personnel;

13) Review and expand our intervention of providing free sanitary pads to needy and vulnerable women with the goal of keeping all girls in school throughout the academic calendar as we improve their overall health and well-being.

For the avoidance of doubt, President Akufo-Addo, who introduced the dreaded and unpleasant two-way system because he could not anticipate the need for infrastructure, has not provided timelines or a clear plan on how to end it.

Let it be known that teaching and learning at the secondary level cannot be improved with the still existing two-way system. John Dramani Mahama will abolish the double track system in one year. Akufo-Addo says for 2024. The alternative is true, it is final. The alternative is better because it represents the wishes and aspirations of the people.

Dr. Clement Apaak MP, Builsa South and Deputy Senior Member on Parliament’s Education Committee