Ghana not to attain MDGs if … CDD

The Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has stated that Ghana cannot achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2 and 3, especially Goal 2, if it does not develop and enforce norms and standards for the provision of infrastructure for basic schools in the country to benefit children with disabilities.

MDG 2 targets achieving universal primary education by 2015 and CDD-Ghana believes that before the country can achieve this goal, it must make all school buildings in the country disability friendly.

MDG 3 is concerned with eliminating gender disparity in primary and secondary education at all levels by 2013.

It adds that there should be universal coverage in primary education, including for poor and under-served populations in rural areas and urban slums.

CDD-Ghana has therefore asked the government and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to make schools comply with laws that cater for the disabled through the provision of infrastructure for persons with disability in schools in the country.

CDD also noted that the GES through its infrastructure Coordination Unit must adopt a common basic education infrastructure policy for government and this should be done in consultation with key stakeholders in the educational sector.

Addressing a validation workshop on tracking public basic schools infrastructure in Accra, a Research Officer at CDD-Ghana, Maxwell Ashong, disclosed that the centre had conducted series of research into matters affecting the delivering of quality education in the country.

Mr Ashong said that many of the schools do not have toilet facilities, playing grounds and libraries but the few ones that have do not meet best standards.