The agony of parents!

As schools are about to reopen and the results for the Basic Education Certificate Examinations soon to be released, parents are engulfed in the preparatory process of providing their children with the necessary paraphernalia to resume schooling.

Despite the free quality education declared by the Government to cushion the burden of parents towards the education of their children, the trend of inflation has overshadowed and negated the intended impact of the free education program.

While unscrupulous school authorities continue to exploit gullible parents in flagrant breach of the spirit of the free education, sky-rocketing cost of books, uniforms, foot-wear and bags triggered by the ever appreciating exchange rate of the dollar has put parents in a state of agony.

Laudable as the free education concept may be, it is riddled with so many lapses that many people believe that it is a sham rather than a reality. Psychologically, parents suffer the mental pain of anticipated relief in expenses, only to pay huge amounts to not only purchase school materials, but to also seek admission of their children in either their school of choice, whether first, second or third choice, or worst still outside their choices.

We are calling on the government to focus on fixing the economy and bring relief to the people. A bag of rice has jumped to over three hundred thousand, while a pair of shoes for a kid at JSS1 costs over two hundred thousand Leones, let alone a school bag and books. It’s a double-edged sword, with the cost of living as high as the cost of education. The rhetoric of Government officials only exacerbates the pain and agony that parents are going through.  “Too much pressure and the people say it’s too much. Children to go to school is a lot of pressure…” sings Joe Hills of Culture.  

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