The National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary candidate in the Effutu constituency has called for a reassessment of priorities in Ghana's education sector.

James Kofi Annan questioned the wisdom behind the implementation of projects such as the Ghana Smart Schools Project, particularly in light of the prevailing challenges faced by many schools across the country.

The Ghana Smart Schools Project, launched by President Nana Akufo-Addo, aims to provide Senior High School students with individual laptops, following the recent unveiling of the Ghana Apprenticeship Program by Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.

Mr Annan, however, contends that these projects are misguided and wasteful, diverting resources from addressing fundamental deficiencies within the educational system.

In a March 25 press release, the Parliamentary Candidate recounted findings from research conducted by his movement, MORE THAN ME, which uncovered inadequacies within Ghana's secondary education landscape. He highlights the lack of consultation with school authorities prior to the announcement of the One Laptop per Student initiative, revealing instances where schools lack even basic computer infrastructure.

"We were in this country when teachers were supplied [with] the same laptops; ask them what the current state of those laptops are. They have broken down," Annan stated, underscoring concerns about the sustainability of such projects.

He further raised pertinent questions regarding the logistics and maintenance of these laptops, particularly in the face of mounting utility bills and infrastructure deficits plaguing many schools. Annan emphasized the importance of redirecting resources towards equipping existing facilities with functional labs and practical equipment, rather than pursuing headline-grabbing but ultimately unsustainable initiatives.

Mr Annan's critique extended to the Ghana Apprenticeship Program, which he argues duplicates efforts already underway through Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centers across the country.

He questions the allocation of significant funds to train a limited number of students while neglecting the needs of existing institutions and their staff.

"Let us stop these unsustainable populist projects, and save the resources for projects that would systematically improve teaching and learning outcomes in the existing institutions," he urged, calling for a more pragmatic approach to education policy.

Read full statement below:

Fix collapsing educational sector, stop wasteful new projects – NDC Effutu candidate

Ladies and Gentlemen, today, the President, Nana Akufo-Addo, has launched a new educational project, the Ghana Smart Schools Project. This project is aimed at providing Senior High School students with one laptop each – one student, one laptop. A couple of weeks ago, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia also launched the Ghana Apprenticeship Program, which is aimed at providing 50,000 students with competency based skills for employment.

Over the last few weeks, my movement, MORE THAN ME, deployed a research team across senior high schools in at least ten regions. The evidence on the ground reveals that, Ghana’s secondary school education is troubled.

I can tell you that the One Laptop per Student (Ghana Smart Schools) project is a flawed initiative. There are senior high schools in Ghana that do not have computer labs and laptops. Many school heads have confided in me that there was little or no consultation with school heads ahead of the announcement of the One Laptop per Student project.

We were in this country when teachers were supplied same laptops, ask them what the current state of those laptops are. They have broken down.

The questions we are asking is, when will all the rest of the thousands of students in the rest of the over 600 schools also receive their laptops? When these laptops are stolen, or broken, or expires, who will be replacing or fixing them?

There are schools that are reeling under unlimited constraints with regard to paying utility and water bills. The headmaster of Mfantsipim was in the news recently courting the support of parents to help pay the school’s mounting bills because government had defaulted in making its statutory payments.

Only last week, it was announced that senior high schools in Ghana owe ECG over GHC45million in electricity bills. Government was only able to pay GHC5million, after the ECG threatened mass disconnection exercise. Would this poorly thought through initiative not add up to the defaulting electricity bills of these schools?

There are evidence to show that, there are schools that have computer laboratories, but, are not fully resourced to meet the demands of the student population. Some schools have computer labs, but, the computers are broken down. Some have to visit sister schools to conduct ICT exams as a result of a dysfunctional computer labs.

I will advise government to channel these resources to resourcing and retooling schools with functional labs which will serve many students year on year, than a select few who may eventually not be able to use the laptops for the intended purpose.

Just a few weeks ago, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia launched another amorphous skills based educational project known as Ghana Apprenticeship Program (GAP). The project is aimed at providing competency based skills for 50,000 students, at the cost of GHC800million. This project, obviously dupblicate the efforts of the TVET centers across the country.

How do you spend GHC800million to train 50,000 people when, according to the Vice President Dr. Mamudu Bawumia, the government of Nana Akuffo-Addo has spent only GHC600million between 2017 and 2024, on all the 34 TVET centers which is training over 100,000 students? Why could the government not invest such a hooping amount of money into improving the Workplace Experience Learning (WEL) component of the TVET institutions we have in the country?

Many of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the TVET institutions in Ghana have not been paid their salaries, after several months of being employed. Many of the centers lack the necessary teaching and learning practical equipment. There are reports of second cycle institutions facing food shortages. There are many schools with several uncompleted projects, including GETFUND projects, which have been abandoned. There are a lot of blocks which have been left to rot, dining halls which have been converted into classrooms as a result of these crying calls for infrastructure.

Let us stop these unsustainable populist projects, and save the resources for projects that would systematically improve teaching and learning outcomes in the existing institutions.

Finally, I want to ask; Who is handling the distribution of these laptops? Would it be the same company that supplied teachers with laptops which are no longer in use?

Thank you.

James Kofi Annan

(Effutu NDC Parliamentary Candidate)