The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has proposed to the government to allocate 10 per cent of the expected oil revenue to the development of infrastructure in the education sector.
The coalition said the development of education as part of efforts to eradicate poverty would be a good legacy which should be vigorously pursued.
Making the call at a day’s forum on education financing in Ghana in Accra on Tuesday, Mr Kofi Asare, a programmes officer of GNECC, said with the estimated $1billion from oil revenues, 10 per cent of the amount could build 1,250 fully furnished basic schools at a per capita cost of $75, 000.
He said such an investment in the education sector would eliminate schools under trees and sheds in the next five years.
The GNECC is a network of all civil society organisations in Ghana that work to promote access to free quality universal basic education in Ghana. The coalition also works to influence policies, practices and resources in favour of quality education in the country.
Mr Asare said the government’s commitment to provide quality education to all citizens could be attained if the necessary infrastructure was put in place, adding that it would enhance effective learning and encourage teachers to accept postings to the rural areas.
The Chairman of GNECC, Mr Bright Appiah, said out of the 31 per cent of the national budget allocated to education, four per cent served as direct investment into infrastructure with 80 per cent going into emolument.
He further explained that a $100 million per annum investment in the basic education infrastructure would produce a thousand schools in a year, leaving a surplus of $25 million for building about 1,000 quarters for rural teachers
Mr Appiah said this would motivate and inspire the teachers and improve education as a whole.
He appealed to the government to treat their proposal with the urgency it demanded.
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