Parents prefer “Konkonte ni Abenkwan” uniform to the New JHS Uniform

Parents prefer “Konkonte ni Abenkwan” uniform to the News Basic School Uniform for Junior High School pupils.

The government has announced the change of uniform for Public Junior High Schools across the country. The new uniform which is meant to replace the old one popularly called “Konkonte ni Abenkwan” is expected to fade out of the system and pave way for the new uniform.

In this regard, the Government of Ghana has put in place plans to change the school uniform of Public Junior High Schools. The current uniform has been used for the past 30 years. According to the government, the change in line with the restructuring of the Basic school system.

Some parents interviews on radio and TV and discussions in public transports seems to suggest that, parents are not comfortable with the change.

The hold the view that the government is trying to play with their intelligence. The government has stated that education is free from the basic school to SHS level. They don’t see why the government have introduced a new uniform which parents must buy while the children have the current uniform which is in good shape.

To them, this will be an extra cost to parents unless the government is going to provide the uniforms for free.

The government recently instructed head teachers and teachers not to charge parents any fees for exams and other school-related events. Some parents hold the view that government has is chasing shadows in the education sector and instead of solving the most critical problems, it seems to be solving problems that do not exist.

Parents in poor communities and villages are wondering how they will raise money to buy new uniforms for their children.

Many parents have stated that the change of uniform is not needed but the quality of education, availability of teaching and learning materials in public school and a conducive school environment for teachers and pupils to learn.

They think it is not a priority since there are school children in deprived areas who sit on the bare ground to write, some school in life-threatening structures.  The uniform is expected to be used from September 2019 when the 2019-2020 academic year begins. The uniform is expected to symbolize nationalism and promotes a sense of belonging.

A parent wanted to know why the government was changing Junior High School Uniform and not that of the entire basic school. Other parents were of the view that the government cannot tell the country that, basic education is free only to turn around and ask parents to buy new uniforms for their wards. “ARE THEY TELLING US THE TRUTH OR THEY ARE DECEIVING US”? She quizzed.

It looks as though the government and the Ghana Education Service will have to embark on massive education to convince parents if they have to buy these uniforms or not.  The current uniforms may not fade out of the system so soon as the government would want it.

This move by government seems to suggest that Ghana is only good at rebranding problems instead of finding solutions to them.

The debate has just begun…