Changing of Uniforms Not for All Basic Schools

 – Education Ministry Clarifies

The Education Ministry, has clarified that it is not changing uniforms of all public basic schools in the country, as published in the media last week.

Spokesperson of the ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng in a statement said, what the ministry is embarking on is to introduce brighter and friendly colours (blue and white) for newly built model Junior High Schools (JHS) initiated by the government.

According to the statement, painting of these newly built model schools, will not affect the existing ones, stressing   the new schools, will have the option to choose its own colours for their uniforms and that does not mean a wholesale change.

“Contrary to the reports in the media about plans by the Education Ministry to introduce new uniforms for Public Basic schools, the Ministry wishes to clarify that there are no such plans in place. Additionally, there is no intention to repaint existing schools”.

“The Minister’s statement was with specific reference to the selection of brighter and friendly colors for the painting of the newly constructed 21st Century Model Junior High schools. The aim is to lighten and enhance the appearance and physical outlook of the new schools. It is never a case of repainting existing schools or altering them in anyway.

The new schools, will have the option of choosing new colors for their uniforms and does not imply a wholesale change of uniforms across all public basic schools in the country”, Mr Kwarteng said in a statement dated Saturday, April 27.

The clarification by the ministry, follows reports last week that government was planning to change uniforms of basic schools and also plaint these schools with blue and white colours to enhance the image.

The Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei-Adutwum, had begun the process by unveiling a new set of uniforms for basic school pupils as part of an initiative to rebrand public education.

According to him, the initiative was part of the rebranding efforts by the Education Ministry, to enhance the image of public schools.

He made this announcement during an unveiling ceremony presentation at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPS-A).

Dr Adutwum said “You see, you don’t see brown and yellow, we are rebranding public schools. No brown and yellow, blue and white, and we are changing the uniforms too. This is President Akufo-Addo and Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia’s Ghana.

“We have begun the transformation. There’s no reason why we should not. Ghana deserves better, and we’re going to give them better, something that we can all be proud of.

Contrary to critics who say he has abandoned basic schools, Dr Adutwum insists this isn’t the case. He envisions a day when parents will beg to enroll their children in basic public schools because he is setting things right.

“So they will say, we will give you credit, you have done well with Senior High School, but you have abandoned basic schools, children are sitting under trees and you talking about drones.

“To them, I have a response, I look forward to a day when parents will line up in front of the school and beg to enroll their children, that is the day and it will soon come and it has began under Nana Akufo Addo,” he added

But the move has caused outrage among some Ghanaians especially, Civil Society Organizations (CEOs) in education, traders of the current uniforms as well as parents who said it was highly unnecessary. They questioned why the ministry will be seeking to fix a problem that does not exist.

Aside position that they do not have money to buy new uniform, parents said there are many things that are wrong with the sector that need urgent attention than this.

Source: Anchorghana.com