Government construction projects have averaged 0.8 basic schools per district every year during the last five years. About a million kids are not in school right now. Our city’s public elementary schools are overcrowded; some even offer morning and afternoon shifts, while others run under trees with four students crammed onto a desk designed for two according to Eduwatch.
This is mostly due to the Finance Minister capping GETFund in 2017, diverting up to 65% of accruals to the Fund towards other sectors, which was the sole hope for financing infrastructure.
By requesting to redirect up to 80% of GETFund Levy accruals and other earmarked monies through the Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment Amendment Bill, 2022, which is currently before the Finance Committee following first reading, the Finance Minister is back in Parliament today to further harm education.
Having in mind that the GETFund leftover emphasizes SHS infrastructure, basic education will continue to endure stunted expansion with only fragmentary trial initiatives without sector-wide results to display.
This implies:
- More than 5,000 schools will move into the shade.
- There will be an increase in the number of 2.3 million kids without desks.
- The number of children who miss school will rise to 1 million.
- Classrooms will be more packed.
- Due to a scarcity of JHS, primary school dropout rates will rise.
- We will continue to struggle with inadequate textbooks.
- Unfinished and postponed SHS projects will rise.
- Projects that are delayed will have more cost overruns.
- Double Track will proceed.
- Certain SHS dormitories will continue to be congested.
- The student loan will continue to be delayed.
What can ordinary people do?
Request that your MP oppose the Earmarked Funds Capping and Realignment (Amendment) Bill and call for the GETFund to be uncapped before passing the suggested formula for this year.
If that evil bill becomes law, education, especially basic education, is doomed.
However, if public awareness is not raised to elicit a public backlash, it may be pushed through parliament at the speed of light. Therefore, the political will to pass it cannot be understated.
Eduwatch, NUGS and partners are mobilizing: we are pressing Legislators, planning with media, and rolling a campaign to fight back this desperate move by the Finance Minister to deprive education of its leftover cash.