Executive Director for Institute for Education Studies, IFEST, Peter Anti has backed calls by Paramount Chief of Aflao Traditional Area, Torgbui Adzonu-Gaga Amenya Fiti V for government to complete the abandoned E-blocks in the area.
Peter Nti in a statement to Prime News said: "There are supposed to be 12 E-blocks in the volta region (including now oti region). The one in Ketu south is located at Agblekpui-Aflao.
"That district has 6 SHS institutions. 4 are piblic and 2 are private. Two (1 public, 1 private) of these schools are in a rural setting while 4 are in urban areas. The total enrollment for these schools is 5,742 (5623 from public and 119 from private) (EMIS, 2019/2020)."
"Now, the district is able to admit a maximum of 5700 at SHS while it produces around 14, 000 pupils for ShS/TVET.
I am not oblivious of the fact that, some will select schools outside the district but if the idea is to strengthen day system and the CSSPS encourages students to select one compulsory school in their district, it means that, the total 14,000 students are made to select only 4 public SHS in the Ketu south district."
President Akufo-Addo during an interview on Accra-based Peace FM on Thursday entreated Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area to “complete” the abandoned E-block community day senior high school in the area himself if he is concerned about the delay.
His comment has sparked debates on social media, MP for North Tongu described the President's comment as "condescending, disrespectful, disdainful and the most contemptuous retort that any President of the Republic has directed at a Paramount Chief."
Others have also called on the President to apologise to the Chief.
Full statement below:
E-Blocks Brouhaha - Facts over emotions
There are numerous view points about location of these E-blocks and whether they should have been completed by now.
Granted that some of these schools were built in places far from human habitation (i will find time and talk abt relationship between location of schools and access to education later), let's do a little analysis on the E-block in the Ketu South district.
There are supposed to be 12 eblocks in the volta region (including now oti region). The one in Ketu south is located at Agblekpui-Afloa.
That district has 6 SHS institutions. 4 are piblic and 2 are private. Two (1 public, 1 private) of these schools are in a rural setting while 4 are in urban areas. The total enrollment for these schools is 5,742 (5623 from public and 119 from private) (EMIS, 2019/2020).
Now, check this, the total enrollment for primary and JHS is given as..
Primary Public - 24, 655
Primary Private - 13, 852
For JHS
Public - 10, 603
Private - 3918
Now, the district is able to admit a maximum of 5700 at SHS while it produces around 14, 000 pupils for ShS/TVET.
I am not oblivious of the fact that, some will select schools outside the district but if the idea is to strengthen day system and the CSSPS encourages students to select one compulsory school in their district, it means that, the total 14,000 students are made to select only 4 public SHS in the Ketu south district.
So whatever the challenge is in completing any E-block, a government that is committed to creating assess to education by removing the financial barrier should be the first to focus on targeting districts such as Ketu South where demand for secondary education exceeds the number of SHSs available.
Now seized with all these FACTS, is it not justifiable if anyone (forget it if it a chief or an ordinary teacher or any citizen from that area) calls for a speedy reopening of such an infrastructure in February (remember these students writing BECE in November will start their academic life in SHS mid-January).
By Peter Anti - IFEST, Ghana.