The Ghana National Association of Private Schools’ (GNAPS) week celebration has taken place in Bolgatanga, with a call on government, the Ghana Education Service, GES, and other regulatory bodies to pursue policies that will enhance the contributions of private schools to national development.

This year’s GNAPS week celebration has the theme “Education is a Right: Stakeholders must support Low-Cost Private School Children”.

As part of the week, school children carried placards with various inscriptions and went on a route march through the principal streets of Bolgatanga.

This year’s theme seeks to draw attention to school children who attend private schools that are located in deprived communities with modest facilities and low-capacity staff, yet offer quality education that is the envy of the well-endowed public schools.

President of the GNAPS, Dr. Damasus Tuurosong, said that every social intervention that targets the poor and marginalized in society is supported by Government, yet private schools are left to fend for themselves.

He said private schools play crucial role in educating the Ghanaian child and therefore deserve support under interventions targeting the poor.

The Upper East Regional Director of Education, Bright Armston Lawoe, advised proprietors to work hard to ensure discipline, among students.

According to the 2019 USAID Report, the Upper East Region charges the lowest school fees 212 Ghana cedis per year.

However, the National Schools Inspectorate Authority, the National Teaching Council, and the National Council for Curriculum are all placing charges that are crippling the operations of private schools in general.