Sep 16, 2011 at 9:05am

An education sociologist Prof D K Agyeman has said that he supported the assertion made by a Child Rights advocacy group that the 30 percent Senior High School placement allocation, reserved for indigenes of localities where schools are located be discontinued.

The Child Rights advocacy group “Challenging Heights” is reported by the Public Agenda as arguing that the system is discriminatory and risks brewing corruption.

Prof. D. K. Agyeman says that such an arrangement breeds on the part of the regional and educational heads, who might disabuse their positions for personal benefit.

“It can also breed discrimination, because if you say that areas where the schools are located should be allocated 30% what about those areas that do not have schools.

And the purpose of boarding schools which people a times forget is to integrate people the various ethnic groups in the country and through that interaction; they begin to understand each other better.”

Central Regional Minister Ama Benyiwaa Doh, has dismissed the assertions by arguing that the 30% allocation to locals in the school area will rather serve as an incentive to encourage communal development within the area.

“I don’t think we should be limiting social benefits to what we think a political person will get.

"I think that those in the areas have sacrifices their farmlands to establish those schools in the hope that their children will have the opportunity to go to those schools.

Most of these schools started as community schools before they expanded to make its own name; I am sure that if other communities knew that contributions will ensure that their children will be admitted in such schools, they would put in more efforts”.

Another Prof. of Education, Former Director of the West African Exams Council (WAEC), J S Djagmah also disagreed. “I very much support it, in all other countries, affirmative action is where you decide that for reasons of gender, background, locality, we give people special treatment.

"I am also sure that Ghana, in the past did this; if you came from unknown schools and you did sufficiently well, of course you have pass, you would be given special treatment.”

He pointed out that positive discrimination in certain cases is good for the benefit of the entire education system.

BY:Citifmonline.com