Invest in rural education – Bagbin to Ghanaians

The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin has appealed to Ghanaians to invest in education, particularly in rural communities, to help bridge the development gap between rural and urban areas.

According to the Speaker, many public servants are reluctant to accept postings to deprived communities because they fear their children may not have access to quality education.

Rt. Hon. Bagbin made the appeal when the national executives of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) paid a courtesy call on him at Parliament House.

Briefing the Speaker, the National President of the Association, Prof. Damasus Turosong, appealed to him to intervene and support efforts to have private schools included in the government’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) fee payment intervention.

Prof. Turosong explained that many private schools face challenges in collecting examination fees from parents, making it difficult for some candidates to register for the BECE.

On behalf of the Association, he also invited the Speaker to attend its annual conference scheduled for August this year.

Rt. Hon. Bagbin accepted the invitation and indicated that he would attend the conference in person, having been unable to participate in the Association’s previous conference.

Meanwhile, Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) candidates will soon have more time between examination papers as the government moves to extend the examination period from five days to eight.

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu announced the proposed reform during a visit to Aburi Girls Senior High School, describing it as part of efforts to reduce pressure on candidates and improve their overall examination experience.

According to the Minister, concerns have been raised over the current timetable, which requires students to write several papers within a limited period, often leaving little room for adequate preparation between subjects.

He said the government has therefore initiated a review of the examination calendar to create a more student-friendly schedule that will allow candidates sufficient time to prepare for each paper.

“I understand that our schedule of the exams for BECE was just Monday to Friday, and that put many of you under some stress,” Mr. Iddrisu said.

He disclosed that under the proposed arrangement, the examination would commence on a Wednesday and end on the following Wednesday, giving students the benefit of a weekend break in the middle of the examination period.

“Accordingly, the government is reviewing the BECE exams calendar. So now the BECE will begin on Wednesday and end the following Wednesday so that adequate time is given to our learners to prepare for BECE across the country,” he stated.