Gov’t begins consultations on draft Education Bill

Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, a Local Government Expert

The government has begun consultations on the draft Education Bill 2015 to collate inputs from stakeholders to enrich the bill before passage into law to decentralize the education sector in the country.

The first of the consultations was held in Tamale on Monday and attended by stakeholders in the northern sector drawn from public, non-governmental organizations and civil society organizations in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, whiles the rest will be held for the stakeholders in the middle sector, southern sector and the western sector.

The inputs collated will be incorporated into the draft bill and presented to Attorney General to fine-tune the bill and submit it to cabinet before finally presenting it to Parliament for passage into law.

The draft Education Bill 2015 seeks to reconcile the Ghana Education Service Act of 1995, (Act 506) and Education Act 0f 2008, (Act 778), which are said to be contradictory in several ways.

Professor Kwamena Ahwoi, a Local Government Expert, who made a presentation on the “Background and Rationale: Education Sector Decentralization”, said the draft Education Bill 2015, when passed into law, would make the Ghana Education Service (GES) a department under the Regional Coordinating Councils and the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

Professor Ahwoi said it would also ensure that funds for GES would be channeled through MMDAs whiles MMDAs would also exercise direct supervision over the GES, which would be known as Department of Education.

He said this would amongst others ensure efficiency in education management and delivery in the country.

Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru Limuna, Northern Regional Minister said the need to make GES a department under MMDAs was long overdue, adding this, would ensure autonomy hence efficiency in education delivery.

Dr Callistus Mahama, Head of Local Government Service, said in the long-run, MMDAs would be responsible for hiring the number of teachers required in their jurisdictions.