The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, has assured parents that the Service will review its policy to allow schools to reuse old textbooks where appropriate.
Speaking exclusively to ATL FM News on September 15, Prof. Davis addressed growing concerns from parents over pressure by some private and public schools to purchase new textbooks, even when older copies in good condition were available.
Prof. Davis acknowledged parents’ frustrations, noting that the GES does not prohibit the use of previous textbooks if the curriculum has not changed and the books remain in usable condition.
“Parents shouldn’t be made to buy new books for their children if the old ones can be used again,” he stressed. “Therefore, there’s a need for policy review by GES and the National School Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA). We work closely with NaSIA because they regulate private and semi-public schools, which are often the ones insisting on expensive new books. There will be stakeholder consultations to resolve this matter.”
The GES boss further clarified that government schools are not permitted to compel parents to purchase new textbooks since the Service already supplies the required course books to ease financial burdens.
Prof. Davis also highlighted ongoing measures to address textbook availability and affordability.
“We are revising the Junior High School curriculum to provide new textbooks for government basic schools. The government has allocated significant funds for acquiring and distributing course books in the next academic year to enhance the quality of education across the country,” he revealed.
