School buildings and uniform revamp: NPP only wants to raise money for Bawumia’s campaign – Osei Akoto alleges

Former National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Organiser hopeful, Henry Osei Akoto, has accused the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, of having ill-intentions with his proposal to rebrand public schools in the country.

In a post shared via X (formerly Twitter) on April 24, 2024, Osei Akoto alleged that the proposal to rebrand the schools is a cover to use the state's money for the election campaign of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to him, the true intention of the proposal is to give massive contracts to NPP members in order to enable them fund the party’s election campaign.

“Adutwum doesn't care about our education system and certainly doesn't care about rebranding. Their aim is to award huge, bloated painting and new uniform contracts to their cronies to build a campaign war chest for Bawumia and his failed presidential ambition. Wait for it!” he wrote.

Dr Adutwum, at a forum titled "The Free SHS Story," held in Accra on Tuesday, April 23, 2024, is reported to have announced plans to repaint all public schools from their current brown and yellow colours to blue and white palettes.

According to him, the decision to repaint the schools is part of a broader objective to revitalise basic education in Ghana and make it more visually appealing.

"We are switching to blue and white. We are painting all the schools to give them an attractive outlook. This is the transformation Ghana deserves and it is coming," Dr Adutwum stated.

In addition to repainting the school buildings, Dr. Adutwum announced that the current brown and yellow uniforms worn by students would be replaced.

"We are changing the uniforms of public basic schools in the country. The yellow and brown that you see now, you will see no more. Reformation is coming to a community near you, and you will see it," he said.

Following the backlash on the minister’s remarks, the Ministry of Education released a statement in which it clarified that Dr. Adutwum was referring to the painting of newly constructed schools with brighter colours.

“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 colours 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,” part of the statement read.

On the reports of government changing the colour of school uniforms, the ministry said that it was only offering the new schools the opportunity to choose brighter uniforms other than the existing ones.

“The new schools will have the option of choosing new colours for their uniforms and does not imply a wholesale change of uniforms across all public basic schools in the country.”

View Osei Akoto's post below:

Adutwum doesn't care about our education system and certainly doesn't care about rebranding.

Their aim is to award huge, bloated painting and new uniform contracts to their cronies to build a campaign warchest for Bawumia and his failed presidential ambition.

Wait for it!

— Henry Osei Akoto (@HenryOseiAkoto_) April 27, 2024