The Coalition of Ashanti Students for Development(CASFoD) has endorsed the Presidential candidate of the opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) barely 72hrs to the December 07 general elections.
A Press Statement issued by the coalition and signed by its President, Mahmud Abdul Waliu Kabore urged its members across the country and Ghanaians at large to vote massively for John Mahama and the NDC to ensure a resounding victory not just for NDC but for the Education system of the country.
“We have analyzed both manifestos critically and come to realized that the NDC has better educational policies for our beloved Country” the statement said, adding, “We as a student’s association, welcome these policies of the NDC party.”
Below are few sectoral reasons for its decision.
1. Basic Education The NPP government hiding behind new educational reforms has introduced Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), a subject many has described as affront to the culture and tradition of Ghana. With public outcry, the government forcibly suspended it’s implementation. We have no doubt that the implementation will kick off if this government is maintained.
In addition, the new curriculum came with no teaching and learning materials most especially, textbooks for our kid brothers and sisters.
It’s refreshing however to note that the NDC has promised to scrap CSE from the new curriculum and address the issue of teaching and learning aide.
2. Secondary Education. The poor implementation of the constitutional provision of free SHS has brought difficulties to students, parents and teachers in the country leading to double-tracking system. With the emergence of covid-19, we foresee our problems escalating, as double track will not solve the problem of congestion. Meanwhile the NDC has outlined measure to decongest the secondary schools and abolish double track. This inclusion of private schools in deprived areas in the free SHS, as well as complete the over 100, abandoned community day SHS across the country.
3. Tertiary Education The NDC has in its people’s manifesto promised to absorb 50% of fees of all tertiary students in all public institutions. This is what the party termed as ‘kyemu p3’. We have taken notice of an amendment of this provision with the promise of ‘fa ninyinaa’.
With this, the next NDC government promises to absorb 100% tuition fees of all Freshers and People Living with Disabilities in tertiary institutions. This is aimed at alleviating the economic impact of covid-19 pandemic on parents, guardians and students.
The statement thus condemned what it described as the NPP government’s desperate attempt of awarding full scholarship to only students of free SHS who enter tertiary institutions next academic year.
“We wonder why the selectivity. CASFoD condemns this in no uncertain terms and calls on CSOs to speak up against this discrimination.”
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