Amendment motion generates heated debate in Parliament

Save Krobo Girls' School- MPs

Accra (Greater Accra), 3^rd February 2000

An amendment motion, which sought to delete a portion of a report of a special parliamentary committee on problems facing students of tertiary institutions, generated a heated debate in the House on Wednesday.

Some of the Minority members questioned the propriety of the amendment saying that an amendment could only be moved on a motion and not on a report, quoting Standing Order 161 to support their stand.

The Majority side, on the other hand, pointed out that there is a precedent to the issue since the Speaker in the First and Second Parliaments admitted such amendments.

The amendment, sponsored by three members of the Majority Group, Mr. George Buadi, NDC-Amenfi East, Mr. Franklin Aheto, NDC-Ashaiman and Mr. J. E. Afful, NDC-Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, wanted the portion in the report that places the responsibility of funding tuition in tertiary institutions on the government, to be deleted.

After listening to arguments from both sides of the House, Mr. Kenneth Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker, who was in the chair, reminded members that Mr. Freddie Blay, Second Deputy Speaker, had previously ruled that the amendment should be admitted and notice to that effect should be given.

"I, therefore consider his directive as valid. I don't intend to undo what my colleague has done", he said.

He said Standing Order 210 permits members to look at the report paragraph by paragraph and, therefore, "I rule that the amendment motion is in order".

Before Mr Buadi could move a motion for the proposed amendment, Nana Akufo Addo, NPP-Abuakwa was on his feet.

He said if the Speaker had based his ruling on Standing Order 210, then it was only fair for members with contending views on the ruling, to express them.

Mr. Dzirasah told Nana Akufo Addo that he would allow his comments only if they would enrich parliamentary practice but would not accept his views if they would undo his ruling.

Dr. Kwabena Adjei, Leader of the House, then intervened and said it would not be fair to the other members if Nana Akufo Addo was granted such a privilege.

Mr. Dzirasah explained that his invitation to Nana Akufo Addo to make his comments had the limiting purpose of enriching parliamentary practice.

When Nana Akufo Addo had the floor, he said his understanding was that where no clear directive is provided in the Standing Orders, then perhaps the amendment could be admitted.

He said in this instance, there are rules expressly given on motions adding that if there is a provision on how reports are handled, then there was no need for the Speaker to look elsewhere in the Standing Orders to fill the gap.

He cautioned that it was dangerous to use parliamentary majority to delete a portion in a report that does not favour the ruling government, saying that the amendment is on a report instead of being on a motion.

When the Speaker questioned whether it is not possible for the House to adopt an amended report, Nana Akufo responded in the affirmative.

"I have ruled on the matter and it has gone on record so Hon Buadi should proceed with his motion", the Speaker said

That part of the report, which the sponsors wanted removed states in part that the responsibility of funding of tuition in tertiary institutions, should be in the government's domain in consonance with Articles 25 (1) and 38 (3) of the Constitution.

The amendment motion said in part that, "Subject to availability of funds to fully provide for the requirements of the tertiary institutions, the costs of tuition or academic facilities should be shared by all stakeholders.

"However, government should continue to provide the major share of the funds. Any charges or fees to be borne by students/parents, should be adopted upon full consultation with all relevant stakeholders. Such charges/fees should be reasonable and should come into force only after adequate notification".

The report said after a series of consultations and analysis, the Special Committee settled on the fact that tuition fees can be used interchangeably with academic facility user fees.

It, therefore, defined tuition fees or academic fees as any expenditure that goes into the training of a fully-fledged graduate from a tertiary institution, including library, laboratory and workshop facilities, learning and teaching materials excluding books, and cost of dissertation or thesis.

The report said the responsibility of funding tuition fees or academic user fees, should, therefore be in the government's domain in consonance with Articles 25 and 38 of the Constitution.

"In this connection, government should progressively endeavour to make it free for all and sundry in every tertiary institution.

"Therefore, whenever the budget of the Ministry of Education is presented to Parliament, the Ministry should add the full assumptions and consequences underlying the proposals", the report said.

Moving for the amendment motion, Mr. Buadi said he accepts the report since it deals with a very sensitive issue of the perennial problem facing students in tertiary institutions.

He said it was incumbent on members to ensure that what ever they decide on in the report should stand the test of time.

Mr. Buadi said he was of the view that the portion in question should be removed to allow the report to reflect the true meaning of Articles 25 and 38 of the Constitution, which he said, members had sworn to uphold.

He said what the House intends for the report would not be practicable if the portion was not deleted.

He referred to a paper delivered by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) at the National Education Forum held last year.

In the paper, the party supported cost sharing of tertiary education, among other obligations and explained that he had referred to the NPP document because it supports his stand that all stakeholders in tertiary education should share the cost.

Mr. Buadi told the House that no report of any parliamentary committee is sacrosanct and as such, it should be subjected to scrutiny.

Mr. Afful seconded the amendment and said if the portion is not deleted, the impression is created that it is mandatory for the government to bear all the cost of tertiary education, a situation, which would be at variance with Articles 25 and 38 of the Constitution.

He said while Article 25 talks about the introduction of free education, Article 38 states that the state shall, subject to the availability of resources, provide equal and balanced access to secondary and other appropriate pre-university education, equal access to university or equivalent education.

"It is absolutely impossible for the government alone to bear the cost of tertiary education. There should be cost-sharing by all stakeholders, while the government continues to provide the major share of resources as it is doing now", he said.

Mrs Gladys Asmah, the Deputy Minority Leader, who objected to Mr. Buadi's

reference to the NPP paper on education, said she thought the debate was to be non-partisan.

"We cannot continue by the way the Majority has introduced partisan approach into the debate," she said.

But Dr Kwabena Adjei said looking at the substance of the proposed amendment he could not see any partisanship.

Mr. Kojo Yankah, NDC-Agona, East, said he would be disappointed if the report was accepted "in toto" without being subjected to scrutiny, particularly since the issue at stake is of prime national interest.

He said that if the government was forced to increase the education budget from the current 35 per cent, other vital sectors of the economy would be in danger of being neglected, adding, it would be unrealistic to request the government to bear all the cost of education.

Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, the Minority Spokesman on Health, who opposed the amendment, entreated the House to see the important aspect of the report and not allow one amendment motion to "ambush" the whole report.

He was of the view that since the state benefits more from good education, it should endeavour to make adequate resources available to support the sector.

He said it was in the interest of all to find the means to provide quality education, since "quality education is an investment for life''.

Dr Addo-Kufuor said academic user fees should be the responsibility of the government and urged the Executive to find the resources to cater for these.

He suggested that the district assemblies and other stakeholders should be encouraged to invest in education, saying if this is embraced it would help relieve the government of some of its financial burden.

Alhaji Mumuni Abudu Seidu, the Deputy Majority Leader, said he supported the amendment because the report would form the basis for resolving problem students in tertiary institution face.

He agreed that if the economy improved sufficiently, the government should bear the cost of tuition fees but said the real issue is to ensure that "we provide facilities at the basic level to build a strong educational foundation since a building on a weak foundation does not stand".

The Deputy Majority Leader urged members to be open-minded and pragmatic in debating such a sensitive issue.

Ms Christine Churcher, NPP-Cape Coast, opposed the amendment saying it is 'ridiculous' and in 'bad taste'.

She said the amendment motion only seeks to short-circuit the Constitution, adding, "the amendment seeks to change the Constitution itself".

She said if some members do not understand the import of certain portions of the report, it does not mean that they should be amended or that the report is bad.

Ms Churcher said that the report supports cost sharing of tertiary education, but questioned who takes what, adding the report had attempted to streamline the responsibility for funding education at the tertiary level.

"For anybody to say that the report is against cost sharing and that the government alone should bear all costs, then the one does not understand the import of the report".

For any member to ask the House to do anything other than what the Constitution prescribes would mean calling for an amendment to the Constitution", she emphasised.

While she agreed that living expenses should be borne by the students, she was of the view that catering for tuition fees should be the responsibility of the government "so that we have qualitative education".

Mr. Kwamena Bartels, the Minority Spokesman on Works and Housing, said in its deliberations, the Special Committee invited all stakeholders in education and the report reflects the various inputs by the stakeholders.

He said an amendment motion, which is an indictment on the Committee is suddenly brought challenging that the report does not reflect the totality of the views of the stakeholders.

Mr. Bartels, therefore, appealed that the entire report together with the amendment should be taken back to the Committee for another winnowing and come out with a report reflecting the united position of the House.

The Speaker said on the strength of Mr. Bartels' request, he would leave the issue with the leadership of the House for further discussion, since the request is in order and a most appropriate way to present a united front.

The debate continues Thursday, February three.

GRi

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Accra (Greater Accra), 3^rd February 2000

Five female members of Parliament on Wednesday called for the urgent restoration of facilities at the Krobo Girls Secondary School at Odumasi Krobo, which were damaged after a severe rainstorm on January 13.

The members said the present state of the school is the result of neglect, which has been compounded by the rainstorm.

Mr. Michael Nyaunu, NDC-Lower Manya Krobo had whipped up support for the school when he issued a statement calling for the restoration of the school's facilities, which were rendered unusable after the rainstorm.

Counting the losses, the member said a staff bungalow housing two teachers and five classrooms had their roofs ripped off.

"The complete block used for practical clothing and textile works was not exempted from the wreckage," he said, adding that electric poles and trees, which served as windbreak, were also not spared the ordeal.

Mr. Nyaunu said the school, which was established in 1926 has not had the required facilities to function effectively as a prominent girls' school.

He described the school as not having a fence wall and with a population of 500 students and 27 teachers still using removable toilet pans.

Mrs. Grace Coleman, NPP-Effiduase-Asokore, wondered why the school does not have the right premises.

She said it is about time that a serious look was taken to girls' schools to increase their capacity to contribute towards the girls' education drive.

Gladys Asmah, the Deputy Minority Leader, asked the relevant bodies to address the problems facing the school as quickly as possible.

Mrs. Vida Amandi Yeboah, NDC-Akwapim South, who was once an Assistant Headmistress of the school, appealed to all and sundry to save the school from imminent extinction.

GRi

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