The Progressive People's Party (PPP) has applauded the nomination of Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman for the position of Minister of Education by the President John Dramani Mahama, expressing confidence that her competence and expertise would inure to the benefit of Ghana.
"There is no doubt that Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman has the requisite competence and expertise to manage effectively the portfolio of Minister of Education", said a statement issued in Accra on Tuesday by the party and signed by the General Secretary Kofi Asamoah Siaw.
The party however requested that Appointments Committee of Parliament seek the nominee's view on Article 25 of the 1992 Constitution that mandates all governments to implement fully the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education Programme (FCUBE), stating that that fundamental constitutional provision had been "violated and delayed" for well over 20 years.
The statement said the PPP would not remain silent when "there is a flagrant and blatant continuous violation of the Directive Principles of State Policy" urging Parliament, through the Appointments Committee to seek to give meaning to that constitutional provision.
It noted that President Mahama had promised to implement the FCUBE by 2016, saying that the PPP expected that the execution of the FCUBE should take off by 2016, by which time all school-going children should compulsorily be in school without the payment of any form of school fees.
Thus, the party has asked the appointments Committee to request of Prof. Opuku Agyemang her plans to give full effect to the president's promise of the full implementation of the policy by the year 2016.
"The PPP would be expecting to hear from the nominee her plans to enforce the compulsory aspect of the policy by the introduction of an Education Policy. There should be clear timelines for the programme of implementation within the next four years".
The party said it would fully support any programme that makes the full implementation of the proper FCUBE possible and the minister-designate and the government could count on the PPP in that regard.
"We believe in Justice, Inclusiveness and Opportunity for all and we therefore urge all progressive-minded members of our society to eliminate this specter of injustice and exclusivity in our society to guarantee the cohesion and unity in our polity", said the statement.