An octogenarian and retired business executive, Mr Godwin Kwashie Anagbo, has appealed to the government to totally, or at least partially, wash its hands off mission schools to save money for national development.
Mr Anagbo said the huge cost of education, where the government spent over 40 per cent of the annual budget, had become a massive financial burden.
He explained that such huge amounts spent on the salaries of teachers, feeding, and school buildings could instead be channeled into building roads, hospitals, and providing good healthcare for citizens.
Mr Anagbo added that the cost of education had also become a burden on parents, who struggle to pay the hidden costs for their children.
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He made these remarks when National Democratic Congress (NDC) party activists of the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency called on him to wish him a happy new year on Saturday.
He noted that the Catholic Church, for example, and other religious missions, established schools during the colonial days, paid salaries of teachers, and effectively ran the schools without any problems.
He said the government should, however, ensure the development of quality educational curricula and effective supervision by the Ministry of Education to guarantee quality education and tutorials.
Mr Anagbo also said the government could put up adequate public schools and run them effectively to achieve the country's educational goals without compromising quality.
"President John Mahama's new educational policies are unmatched, but the threat of strikes from both unposted teachers and those past has become a major distraction and a financial drain on the economy," he emphasised.
Since the overthrow of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the first President, he said the government and parents have been finding it difficult to manage the rising cost of education.
"I further advise that the government concentrate on providing infrastructure, including the construction of roads and bridges," Mr Anagbo added.
He expressed dismay that politicians over the years had been running the educational system on a trial basis and were toying with the learning abilities of schoolchildren.
"Some of the students stay at home for three good months. We can't operate our school system like that; our politicians are turning our educational system into a polo ground for riders," Mr Anagbo lamented.
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He urged the NDC party activists to continue being law-abiding citizens and support the Mahama Administration to succeed.
"If President Mahama succeeds, whoever succeeds him after his term in office would automatically win the 2028 general elections," he said.
