Former President John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has voiced his disapproval of the government’s initiative to provide free tablets to senior high school students calling it a vote-buying tactic.
He condemned the move as a strategic maneuver aimed at securing votes rather than addressing critical educational concerns. He highlighted the diversion of attention and resources away from ongoing educational initiatives due to the focus on tablet distribution.
During a special public lecture at the Wisconsin International University College, Ghana, Mahama raised concerns about the government’s decision to allocate funds for distributing tablets while essential educational projects remained neglected.
Emphasizing the need to prioritize state resources effectively, Mahama underscored the importance of addressing pressing needs within the education sector. His criticism reflects broader concerns about the government’s allocation of funds and the implications for educational development in the country.
Remarks Made by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama
You bring a new curriculum, the children have no textbooks in basic school for the last four years and you think that giving pre-tertiary students tablets is more important. Of course, everybody knows the political expediency.
The pre-tertiary students are going to register in May because some of them will be turning 18 years and above, some are 18 already and they are going to be the ones voting. So this is a gift to entice them to vote for the current government.
Otherwise, if you are using GH¢1.3 billion to give pre-tertiary students laptops, our priority would have been different. Other things are begging for funding in our educational system than those laptops. But it is a bribe for them to vote for this government. He remarked.
