Africa Education Watch has commended government for demonstrating the political will to fully decentralise the country’s education system through the laying of the Pre-Tertiary Education Bill in Parliament.

In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Kofi Asare, the organization says, while appreciating the relevance of education decentralisation to achieving quality management, accountability and learning outcomes, it is their wish that the Bill recentralises by conferring unto the District Education Officer the mandate to appoint members of School Management Committees (SMCs).

They want Community leaders and PTAs to be given the opportunity of appointing members of the SMC in line with the prescribed composition in the Bill. [Section 45 (2)].

Africa Education Watch put together the following proposals to reinforce the achievement of the purpose of the Bill:

– The Bill recentralizes by conferring unto the District Education Officer the mandate to appoint members of School Management Committees (SMCs). Community leaders and PTAs must be given the opportunity of appointing members of the SMC in line with the prescribed composition in the Bill. [Section 45 (2)].

– The Bill is explicit on the transfer of Human Resource and Financial Management but silent on the transfer of Procurement functions from the Education Service and Ministry of Education. There must be an explicit statement on the transfer of procurement to the districts, to make the devolution complete.

– The Bill is silent on the structure and management framework for public TVET institutions at the school level, unlike that of secondary schools which are explicitly provided.

There is a need to define the management structure and framework at the TVET School level and how they relate to the Regional TVET Office/ Regional Director of TVET. [Ref. Section 90-99]

– The composition of the Education Service Board must include a representative of owners of Private Schools or the Ghana National Association of Private Schools. This is because about 30% of basic schools are privately owned and stakeholders must participate in decision making at the highest level.