It brings to 615, the number of vehicles, consisting of 200 buses and 415 pick-ups, as well as 493 motorcycles, so far presented to SHSs and agencies under the Ministry of Education since 2020.

The Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, symbolically handed over the keys of the vehicles to the headmistresses of two of the beneficiary SHSs at the Accra High School on Monday, January 31, 2022.

He said the presentation was in line with the commitment of the government not only to increase access to SHS but also ensure the provision of complementary resources for delivering quality education.

The Vice-President said it was well documented that the availability of good transportation for students impacted positively on quality education delivery, while an efficient transportation system in schools also increased the enrolment of students and encouraged them to stay in school.

He added that an efficient transportation system was key to hastening the economic transformation and development of the country, as envisaged by the government.

Dr Bawumia (right) handing over one of the keys to Mrs Winifred Arthur (left), the Headmistress of Mamfe Methodist Girls’ High School. Picture: SAMUEL TEI ADANO

“We are committed to increasing access to quality education, including the provision of vehicles for schools to support the transportation of our growing population in the schools,” Dr Bawumia added.

Infrastructure

The Vice-President said since the introduction of the free SHS policy by the government in 2017, there had been an increase in enrolment in excess of 1.2 million students, and that it was for that reason the government was undertaking infrastructure projects to meet the growing needs of schools to ensure effective teaching and learning.

He mentioned some of the projects to include libraries, classroom blocks, dormitories, administration blocks and canteens, adding: “We have also constructed STEM and vocational schools and completed many ongoing E-Blocks.”

According to Dr Bawumia, the handing over of the buses also formed part of efforts to increase access to quality education, anchored on a robust educational system that trained a critical mass of students to be active participants in the transformation of the country.

He urged the leadership and staff of the beneficiary schools to use the vehicles judiciously to achieve the objectives for which they were purchased.

Transformation agenda

The Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, also asked the beneficiary schools to see the buses as part of the transformation agenda of the government to improve learning outcomes.

According to him, Ghana’s educational sector had been moving on a different trajectory and “we have come to realise that if we do not change it today, we may never be able to change it”.

“If your educational system does not demonstrate quality, access and relevance, it cannot change your fortunes. It is our time and moment to bring about transformation.

“Other nations have been able to transform their fortunes because they transformed their educational systems,” the minister said.

Gratitude

The President of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior High Schools (CHASS), Alhaji Yakubu A. B. Abubakar, expressed gratitude to the government and pledged that the vehicles would be put to good use.

He said a means of transportation was very important for the effective running of institutions and, therefore, the presentation would aid in the smooth administration of the schools.