Implement FCUBE With Adequate Resources �Says Lecturer

A lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Dr. Theophilus Richardson, has asserted that any government that intends to implement the Free, Compulsory, Universal and Basic Education (FCUBE) must ensure that there is enough resources for its execution. Though, he lauded the framers of the policy as enshrined in the 1992 Constitution, he doubted the ability of any government to implement the policy. Nonetheless, the University of Education lecturer intimated that something similar of �free� and �compulsory� should have also been done with health. According to him, issues about health are equally important like education and must be given priority. �It is not bad to have the policy implemented but the question is: �Are our leaders ready to channel resources into it?� Dr. Richardson quizzed. Dr. Richardson made these observations on Ghana, Great and Strong, a non-partisan programme broadcast every Saturday from 7:00 P.M.,- 8:00 P.M., on Ghana�s premier internet based radio,www.hedjorleonlineradio.com. He was contributing to the topic: �How Achievable is the Compulsory Aspect of FCUBE?� His concern was not about either the policy would be free or compulsory, but rather how there would be availability of educational infrastructures, teaching and learning materials to complement the policy. What the country needs, the university lecturer pointed out, was more financial and logistics support for schools in the country. �Let�s slow down on the free and compulsory aspects of the FCUBE and ensure that the existing schools, particularly those in the rural areas, are well-resourced,� he opined. He explained that anything about compulsion was good and thus it was incumbent on any government to provide all the necessary ingredients for education before the implementation of the policy. He went on to say that, for instance, no parent would force his or her child to do something under duress when that thing was not good. That, he said, explained why it was the responsibility of government to ensure that everything was in place before the policy took off. �I will not compel my children to go to where there are no basic educational facilities all because it�s free and compulsory,� Dr. Richardson averred. Contributing on the show, founder of Great Institute, Anis Haffar, also underscored the need for government to channel more resources into the educational sector. He decried the situation where the standard of education in the country had declined attributing it to lack of educational logistics and proper motivation for teachers. �The aspiration and the spirit behind the FCUBE is good but how the policy can be workable is the issue�? Mr. Anis Haffar said. He therefore called on policy makers to determine the way forward for the country, regarding education. Mr. Anis Haffar intimated that to make education attractive, it should be quality with all the necessary resources. To this end, he appealed to government to enhance the already existing schools by allocating enough funds for them from the national budget.