The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of belittling Ghana’s education system during his recent tour of the Ashanti region.
Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NDC, Augustus Nana Akwasi, at a press conference in Kumasi, described as “worrying” the busing of students from various Senior High Schools to the NPP’s youth connect program at the Jubilee Park.
He says the act was not in the interest of the students but to create a crowd effect to shore up Dr. Bawumia’s sinking popularity in the NPP’s political stronghold.
“The laws of Ghana do not allow partisan politics in our senior high schools and so for the headmasters of these institutions to have released SHS students, some of whom are minors to participate in political activities at the time they are supposed to be in school studying, indicates how low they are prepared to go to please their NPP collaborators,” said Nana Akwasi.
The NDC also accused the Minister of Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, of exposing the SHS students to a dangerous political adventure at the time school was in session.
“It is a shame that somebody like Dr. Yaw Adutwum who was brought in to introduce international best practices in our education sector will be the very person destroying our senior high schools with unbridled partisan politicization.
“We are calling on parents to join forces with us to demand answers from CHASS and GES for exposing their wards to this needless political danger when school is supposed to be in session,” the NDC Chairman said.
The “Youth Connect” program is an avenue for the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer to engage young people on his vision.
The opposition party also described the three-day Ashanti regional tour of the NPP flagbearer as unproductive and uninspiring.
Nana Akwasi has asked Dr. Bawumia to deliver on a promise of reconstructing a section of the Kejetia market destroyed by fire.