Dorcas Brenda Asare, Education Director, delivering her speech at the GNAPS week

Desist from profit mentality - Prof. Okatakyi Amenfi urges private schools

Diana Mensah Sep - 12 - 2023 , 06:33 3 minutes read

Private schools in the country have been admonished to move from the profit making delivery mentality to a service driven purpose.

The paramount chief of the Asebu Traditional Area, Professor Okatakyi Amenfi VII, made this call at the just ended 2023 Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS) week celebration at Abura Asebu Kwamankese (AAK), where he is the overlord.

“Some private schools in the country are just interested in profit making.

Although money is your source of existence towards your expenses, you should give your schools the human face.

Charge moderate fees, deliver corresponding expectations and have the Ghanaian child at heart.

Let your fees reflect the output of the child you charge for”, he said.

lecturer

Prof. Amenfi, who is also a lecturer at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, called for collaborative efforts by all towards making education a right for every Ghanaian child.

Prof. Amenfi urged parents to fully take up their role towards the educational well-being of their children, especially within the private schools.

From right: Ofarinyi Kweigya VII, Nana Obokesewa Affulba I, Nana Obokese Amapah I, Prof. Okatakyi Amenfi VII, Nana Abotar Okorba I and Nana Amenyin of Alata, gracing the occasion

“Support your child in all ways and be equally prepared to shoulder the required responsibility in terms of paying of fees and purchase of books so that the various school owners can be relieved and fully support and help the children,” he added.

He entreated the private sector to refrain from negative tendencies such as route learning, adding: “Teach the children under your care with the right methodologies and approach devoid of mere memorisation, chew, pour, pass and forget.

Do not let them behave like the ‘parrot’ which can only rattle but does not even understand what it is voicing out,” he said.

Commitment

The AAK District Director of Education, Dorcas Brenda Asare, said the government was committed to working towards meeting millennium development goal 2.

“The government of Ghana is highly passionate about education, so you need to work within the standards and the general policy framework of the Ghana Education Service and let it be your ultimate guide, especially in our private schools,” she said.

A lecturer at the University of Cape Coast, Dr Patrick Essien, also charged schools to help girls fully unearth their potential and ignite their interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education to bridge the gap.

Also, the Public Relations Officer for the GNAPS -AAK Chapter, Daniel Kwamena Essel, encouraged the educational directorate to remain resolute in rallying behind all schools.

The Central Regional GNAPS Chairman, Moses Kofi Ola Akande, urged the ministry to take a second look at the ‘30 per cent discriminatory placement’ of BECE students against private schools.