CHRAJ Wants Gov�t To Increase Capitation Grant

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is recommending that the capitation grant be increased from next academic year. CHRAJ is also calling on government to ensure that the capitation grant is released to the various schools in the country early enough �before the commencement of each school term�. These recommendations were made at the climax of the 2011 Human Rights and Integrity week by Commissioner Lauretta Vivian Lamptey. According to her, monitoring exercise conducted by the commission revealed that a large number of schools especially, basic schools in rural communities lack adequate teaching and learning materials notwithstanding the government�s Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education policy. The exercise also revealed that despite government�s provision of the capitation grant, about 60% of schools monitored continue to charge fees to support their operations due to the inadequacy of the grant. This it says has resulted in a good number of Ghanaian children being out of school despite the free education at the basic level, a development she describes as �disturbing�. �The continuous existent of non-school going children who are supposed to enjoy free basic education is disturbing. Of the 211 basic public schools inspected last year, to evaluate the disbursement of the capitation grant, the grant has improved funding support for the school; however, 60% of the schools monitored continue to charge fees to support their operation due to the inadequacy of the grant. Delays in release of the grant are seriously undermining the efficacy of the program,� the report stated.