The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has expressed concern that the government’s failure to pay basic schools their capitation grants for the past two years may result in dire consequences, including school closures.
The Capitation grants are essential to the operation of basic schools and are provided by the government, but in two of the last three years, the government has failed to pay them.
The situation became more alarming when the government did not address the grant payment issue in last week’s state of the nation address. The general secretary of GNAT, Mr. Thomas Musah Tanko, urged the government to take swift action, stating that schools cannot run without funding.
Tanko emphasized that education is crucial to breaking the cycle of poverty and is a right that should not be taken away from children. He also highlighted the issue of employment and job security, stating that only 10% of the workforce is guaranteed employment, while the remaining 90% may have to wait up to 10 years to secure a job, which poses a threat to national security.
It is crucial that the government acts quickly to resolve the issue of unpaid capitation grants to ensure that basic schools can continue to operate and provide education to children, which is essential for Ghana’s future.
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