The Centre for Socioeconomic Studies has noted that government’s proposed Pre-Tertiary Bill, should it be passed into a law, will give grounds for chaos and discrimination to grow in the country’s pre-tertiary education sector.

The CSS in a press release copied to Ghanaweb.com says the bill which in its essence is to put the management of pre-tertiary institutions under the Local Government Ministry is contrary to “Article 25 (1) of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana which in general terms prohibits the discriminatory provision of basic education to the disadvantage of every Ghanaian child in a manner that prevents them from achieving the full realization of their right to education.”

The CSS says unlike under the current frame where all school children enjoy equitable educational opportunities based on the central government’s mandate to ensure equal resource distribution through the Ghana Education Service, the bill if passed will mean the “ability of each district to mobilise and commit significant allocations to education will define the quality of education each child receives in Ghana and how that child can attain self-actualisation and contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of Ghana.”

This according to the CSS “would place pre-tertiary education in a state of chaos, defeating the intended purpose of Article 25(1) of the Constitution to ensure the right to equal educational opportunities.”

The group has therefore entreated Parliament and its relevant sub-committees, the Ministry of Education and all stakeholders including GNAT and NAGRAT to work together within the requirements of the Constitution to ensure these proposed changes do not violate Article 25(1) and other equally important constitutional provisions.

Read the full release below