Block the ‘Further Capping Bill’ and Uncap GETFund NOW – EduWatch
Over the past five years, government built an average of 0.8 basic schools per district, per annum.
Today, over 1 million children are not in school. Our urban public basic schools are full; some even run morning and afternoon shift, others operate under trees with four pupils on a desk meant for two.
This is mainly because, GETFund, the only hope for infrastructure financing was capped by the Finance Minister in 2017, diverting up to 65% of accruals to the Fund into other sectors.
Today, the Finance Minister is in Parliament again to do further damage to education by asking to divert up to 80% of GETFund Levy accruals and other earmarked funds through the Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment Amendment Bill, 2022 which is currently at the Finance Committee, after 1st reading.
Bearing in mind that the GETFund leftover prioritizes SHS infrastructure, basic education will continue to suffer stunted growth with only piecemeal pilot projects without sector-wide impacts to show.
This means:
The 5,000 schools under trees will increase
The 2.3 million children without desks will increase
The 1 million Out Of School Children will increase
Over-crowded classrooms will increase
Primary school dropouts due to lack of JHS will increase
Lack of adequate textbooks will remain with us
Uncompleted & delayed SHS projects will increase
Cost overruns on delayed projects will increase
Double Track will continue
Congestion in some SHS dormitories will continue
Delays in the students loan will continue
What can citizens do?
Ask your MP to block the Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Amendment) Bill and demand the uncapping of GETFund before approving this year’s proposed formula.
That pernicious Bill, when passed into Law, means doom for education, especially basic education.
But the Political Will to pass it cannot be underestimated, as it may be pushed through parliament with the speed of light if public awareness is not created to attract a public push back.
Eduwatch, NUGS and partners are mobilizing..we are lobbying MPs, strategizing with media, and rolling a campaign [next week] to push back this desperate effort by the Finance Minister to deprive education of its leftover funding.
Your MP must see this.
Kindly Share to create awareness!
More anon!
Kasare@eduwatch.info
