Patriotic Intellectuals holds maiden lecture series

A Voluntary Wing of the New Patriotic Party dubbed "Patriotic intellectuals," has held its first public lecture to outline the achievements of the government in the educational sector.

The group made up of lecturers and non-teaching staff at the Takoradi Technical University is to garner support for the Party in the December polls.

At a press conference to announce its programmes, the Chairman of the group, Mr Michael Asare Appiah indicated that the conditions of teachers improved under the NPP government than under the previous administration.

He stressed that teachers who were teaching under the free Senior High School (SHS) double-track system received a motivational amount of GHC50 per student, which was locally disbursed in the schools.

He stated that the book and research allowance for lectures, which hitherto was GHS500.00 had been increased to GHS1,500.00.

Mr Appiah said rent allowance for lectures had also increased from 15 cedis to GHS800.00.

He said the government for the first time paid tutors in colleges of education book and research allowance.

On the free SHS policy, he said the initiative had benefited poor parents who could not afford to send their wards to school, adding that the double-track system had also offered the opportunity for those who qualified to be in Senior High School to do so without difficulties.

According to Mr Appiah, about 1.2 million students have been enrolled under the Free SHS.

He said the necessary infrastructure would be put in place to accommodate the double-track system and was hopeful that the system would end before 2024.

On infrastructural development, he said the government had efficiently pursued a policy of school expansion and that under the Community Senior High School project 56 out of 124 projects have been completed.

Under the GETFund Senior High School project, Mr Appiah indicated that 318 SHS structures have been completed out of 843 projects.

According to him, a total of 107 projects have been completed under the Secondary Education Improvement Project.

The lecture series dubbed "Ghana Must Know" had the maiden one focusing on the achievements made in the educational sector under President Akufo-Addo.