Throughout Ghana, more than 5,400 primary schools are still described as “Schools Under Trees crisis. These schools still run under trees or in temporary structuresnearly 68 years after independence, leaving thousands of children without classrooms, desks, or qualified teachers.
As the world improves in educational technology, many Ghanaian children are still desperate ,emphasizing the profound inconsistencies in means of entry to standard education.
Current data shows that 1.2 million children between 4 to 17 years have never been present at school, with 30 dropping out everyday. The Schools Under Trees issue further creates a rather demotivating environment for leaners.
A crucial element is the lack of attainable, well-resourced schools, particularly in rural areas. Faultfinders spot tilted resources allocation: In 2023, only 20 per cent of the Ministry of Education’s funds went to primary education, while tertiary institutions and administrative expenses received the majority of it.
Proponents estimate that GHS 3.5 billion is required to put a stop to the “schools under trees” mess. They disagreed that the well utilise of the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) could have sewn up the subject in the middle of 2021 and 2024. At the moment, with Parliament endorsing GHS 800 million for primary education in 2024—the maximum in seven years, there is renewed hope.
Civil society groups are requesting the government to prime concern impoverished communities and divert oil revenues in the direction of basic education. Over the figures are real children whose aspirations are at stake because of all the prospects that are piled up against them.
There is a promising unanimity among civil society organisations such as Campaign Against Privatisation and Commercialisation of Education (CAPCOE), EDUWATCH, Education International (EI) and the Frederich Egbert Foundation (FES) that, putting a stop to the practice of teaching and learning under trees is not a comfort, it is necessary.
The Schools Under Trees crisis has been here for far too long and needs urgent attention, finacial commitment and the political will to deal with it for good.
As Ghana sets itself as a leader in West Africa, singing out are calling on the country to make its youngest citizens a priority.
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Education, they say, is a right, not a privilege, and the time to take measures is at this moment. The writer is the Convener for the Campaign for Privatisation and Commercialisation of Education (CAPCOE)