Some callers into Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Friday, April 26 have expressed their views and concerns over the rebranding of basic public schools.

Their comments follow Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei-Adutwum saying his Ministry plans to roll out a new set of uniforms for basic public school students as part of an initiative to rebrand public education.

According to him, this is part of the rebranding efforts by the Education Ministry to enhance the image of public schools

Speaking on the Show, a caller said that government should prioritise improving the quality of education and facilities in schools rather than focusing on rebranding.

The caller argued that the current state of the schools is more important than copying trends from other countries.

“We need to fix the basic things first. We don’t have to look at what is being practised elsewhere. It’s like putting on a nice suit on a tattered singlet. We have to fix the basics first.

“We have money to paint schools but we don’t have money to provide textbooks for our kids to learn? We don’t have money to buy quality food, I mean a balanced diet for our kids to eat. What is happening? Is that the men we talked about? “

The caller also raised concerns about the choice of colours for the proposed school rebranding

“Why are we going to paint the schools blue and white and not white and green? Is it someone’s agenda or is it about the state capture that people have been talking about?”

Another caller also stated that after the introduction of the new curriculum, there are no textbooks for the students to use in schools.

According to him, students in the primary section have only received textbooks for the core subjects, leaving other areas of the curriculum without adequate instructional materials.

“The only textbooks that have been given it are English, Maths, and Science. So RME, Creative Arts, the rest, where are the textbooks? We have not gotten that but we have money to paint schools. Is this right? Then let’s take these school kids with brown? When they come back from school, they look dirty.

“Why can’t they channel that money into textbooks for our primary and JHS, for the basics so that at least they can read and understand,” the caller said.

A parent expressed concern about the physical environment of Ghanaian schools.

According to her, many schools have unpaved grounds, leading to large amounts of dust that children play in.

“Go to the schools and see. The environment is not hygienic and clean. Now they want the children to wear white. Then we parents are going to suffer. Not even seniors, basic.

"They go to school and when they come back, the whole white dress will be dirty, and you have to buy a new one and change it. Is that what they mean? Are we safe?”