Dr Bawumia addressing the teachers
The 2012 Vice presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, says the NPP, which is aware of the benefits education for national development, is fully prepared to bear the cost of prioritizing education when given the mandate to govern.
Dr. Bawumia made these comments while speaking to teachers in the Nalerigu-Gambaga constituency of the Northern region.
The forum was organized as part of activities during Dr. Bawumia’s tour of the constituency.
Addressing the teachers, Dr. Bawumia stated, “The only differentiating factor in terms of how we develop, create the necessary jobs and compete globally is through knowledge and skills acquisition.
“This is why Nana Akufo-Addo has prioritized education and when given the mandate by Ghanaians we will make sure we build the needed knowledge base to make Ghana competitive, at least, in the West African space to start with and then globally. As far as education is concerned, it’s very clear that we are going to make it priority”.
Dr. Bawumia explained that evidence from history and the experience from developed countries showed that access to quality education was a differentiating factor.
He added that it was important for Ghana to prioritiz education in order to develop and remain competitive globally.
This, according to him, was the rationale behind Nana Akufo-Addo’s vision to make Senior High School free, noting that people should not be denied education because of money or their background.
The NPP vice presidential candidate indicated that the vision of the NPP was not only to provide Free Senior High School education but deliver free and quality education to build the necessary human resource for national development.
To this extent, Dr. Bawumia informed the teachers that the NPP administration would employ technology, among others, to enhance the delivery of quality education and bridge the gap in education in various parts of the country.
He said, “One of the critical facilities and essentials aside the school buildings, teachers’ quarters etc. that we would budget for and do is technology and internet access. We would make sure every school has access to the internet. This must not be a luxury.”
He announced that through technology, teachers could have access to the vast store of knowledge and information on the internet.
Dr. Bawumia also said by using technology, lessons taught in some select schools could be video-taped and uploaded on the internet for teachers in other schools to have access and learn from colleagues in other schools.
On teacher welfare, Dr. Bawumia informed the teachers that the NPP’s educational policy was based on a “Teacher First” policy.
“Education is primarily about teachers because without teachers, there will not be any school even if there are classrooms. It is teachers who would make this difference and many countries recognized this simple fact over the years.”
Dr. Bawumia indicated that the next NPP administration would implement some major transformational changes.
He said that when fully implemented, these changes would ensure that the constant salary challenges that teachers face were eliminated.
Dr. Bawumia was accompanied to the meeting with the teachers by a number of eminent NPP personalities.
They included Bugri Naabu, a leading member of the NPP in the Northern region; J.J. Yidana, a former Police Chief who was exiled after the 31st December coup; Mustapha Hamid, spokesperson to NPP presidential candidate, Nana Akufo-Addol; Ben Salifu, former Northern Regional Minister; NPP National Youth Organizer, Anthony Karbo and Madam Rita Asobayire, former National Women’s Organizer of the NPP.
Dr. Bawumia is currently in his home constituency of Walewale on the second leg of his three-constituency Mamprugu tour.
