The Government Assurance Committee of Parliament has expressed its displeasure over the inadequate numbers of textbooks being distributed to basic schools in the Central Region by the Education Ministry.

According to Madam Patricia Appiagyei, the Chairperson of the Committee, and Mr John Kwabena Bless Oti, the Ranking Member, the purpose of their two-day working visit to selected public basic schools in the region was to verify whether the Education Minister had fulfilled an assurance made in 2022 regarding the supply of textbooks to all public basic schools in the region under the One-Child-One-Textbook Policy.

During their interactions with district/municipal directors of education, headteachers, teachers, and pupils, the Committee discovered that junior high schools (JHSs) were yet to receive their textbooks, while primary schools did not have the full complements of most of the textbooks.

Madam Rahinatu Iddrisu, the Headteacher of Islamic Research Basic School, informed the Committee that the school had received some of the textbooks, however, because the quantity was not enough, the students had to pair in using them and teachers could not allow the pupils to take them home for their assignments.

Mrs Appiagyei, the Chairperson of the Committee, said, “So, we will have to revert and find out exactly what has happened because when we went to the Depot, you could see some books were available.”

“We need to determine whether the entire books have been printed for distribution or they are yet to print more to be able to reach the numbers that are expected in the country,” she added.

Mr Bless Oti expressed the findings of the tour, stating, “If this is Cape Coast, the Regional Capital, then what happens to the rural areas?”