The Spokesperson for the Education Ministry, Kwasi Kwarteng has clarified claims that the ministry spent GH¢68.5 million on photocopying past questions for Senior High School students.
In a post on Facebook, he explained that the money spent in 2020 and 2021 was not used for photocopying but on printing, supply, and distribution of the revision books.
“Therefore, the claim that GH¢78 was spent on photocopying a page in the booklet is inaccurate and misleading,” Mr Kwarteng wrote.
Mr Kwarteng explained that in 2019, Aki-Ola Publications Company Limited and Kingdom Books and Stationery Company Limited were engaged by the Ministry for the supply of revision books (study guides) for Senior High Schools.
“The purchase included 207,000 copies of study guides for West African Senior High Schools, consisting of past questions and answers, at an estimated cost of GH¢40 each. Additionally, 361,755 copies of study guides for SHS, comprising WAEC past papers, suggested answers, and chief examiners’ reports for core subjects, were procured from Kingdom Books and Stationery Company at a cost of GH¢75 per booklet.”
“Subsequently, in 2021, the Ministry engaged Messrs. Kingdom Books and Stationery Limited for the printing, supply and distribution of 446,957 revision books for SHS for GH¢78 comprising of WAEC Past questions, Chief Examiner’s Reports and possible answers. 446,954 copies of updated editions of the study," he wrote.
Giving a breakdown of the procurement, Mr Kwarteng, in an interview on Adom FM, said they included revision books (study guides) comprising WAEC past papers, suggested answers, and chief examiners’ reports for core subjects.
This comes after the Minority in Parliament said they are dismayed by what they call the wanton dissipation of public funds after the Ministry spent over GHS68.5 million to purchase WASSCE past questions for students.
The expenditure incurred in 2020 and 2021, according to the Minister of Education, was part of the government's efforts to ensure that students are properly prepared for the exams.
But the Minority are criticizing the sole sourcing used and the amount involved.
Addressing the media in parliament on Monday, the Member of Parliament for Ashaiman, Ernest Norgbey, questioned the ministry for using sole sourcing when many companies could perform the services intended.
He alleged that “the Ministry of Education procured, let me say photocopied, examination question papers at the cost of GH¢33 million in 2020 a unit cost or GH¢59.10 - a photocopy of examination question papers and that was done under the single source procurement method. In 2021, they did the same by using an amount of over GH¢34 million at the cost price of GH¢78.”
“So in total, the government has spent GH¢68.5 million in two years in making photocopies of examination question papers for our candidates. It is not only Ali-Ola or Kingdom books that could produce or that could make a photocopy of that. Even if that is the case, what is WAEC doing? The examination body could have also photocopied the same for the government," Mr Norgbey said.
Credit: myjoyonline.com