Operationalize Mahama's E-blocks before building V-blocks

Ahead of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s sod cutting for the construction of the STEM schools later today, January 11, 2022, the Minority in Parliament has questioned, the construction of the schools labelled V-blocks by the NPP administration while some E-Blocks started under the Mahama administration have been abandoned.

Each of the V-block facilities will be fitted with amenities such as science labs, playing fields, administrative buildings, libraries, and dormitories.

Additionally, each V-Block will have 24 classrooms.

Currently, 10 of the schools are under construction, with one, the Abomoso Model Senior High School, nearing completion.

But speaking to Citi News, the Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Education Committee, Dr. Clement Apaak, said government should rather channel resources into operationalizing the E-blocks.

“We have structures which have achieved between 70% to 90% completion. At a time when you claim that you are in austerity, you would apply resources to complete those existing structures before you think about initiating new structures. But clearly, that is not what we are seeing with the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia led government’s attempt to initiate new school blocks when we have others that can be very quickly completed with minimum resources and can be operationalized,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has denied the Minority in Parliament’s claim that the government has abandoned E-block projects started by the Mahama administration.

It insisted in a statement in October 2021 that all the 60 completed e-block projects constructed under both the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) governments have been operationalized and are currently in use.

“It is important to note that all the 60 completed schools have been operationalised and are currently in use. It is therefore inaccurate to suggest that the CDSHS projects have been abandoned. Government of Ghana/Ministry of Education remains committed to completing all the remaining projects,” a statement from the Ministry said.