Member of Parliament for North Tongu and former Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa says government is already making use of some $22 million received from the Swedish government to implement the controversial Comprehensive Sexuality Education curriculum in the country.
“It will interest you to know that Ghana has recruited a special CSE officer working in the UNESCO Ghana office. The officer is being paid off out of the $22m, part of it was spent on printing the manuals, some have been used in printing packs for the Teachers. The Minister came out to say there is nothing like a Comprehensive Sexuality Education in the manual but the teachers have exposed him, in fact, the evidence is on page 11 of the teachers' resource pack. All the documents I’ve reviewed from UNESCO, UNFPA and the Swedish government confirms that the government of Ghana is complying with implementing the CSE.,” he revealed.
He was speaking on Okay FM's morning show on Tuesday after he was called by the host to confirm allegations he had made earlier that the Government of Ghana was given the said amount by the Government of Sweden and other international partners to implement the CSE curriculum which evoked public outrage over the past days.
According to the lawmaker, the government and the ministry have bypassed parliament which represents the interest of the Ghanaian people and is supposed to vet transactions and agreements made on behalf of the country.
He added that the purpose of the money, as revealed in the documents he has reviewed, instructs the government to use the money in fighting all forms of social resistance that will meet the implementation of the CSE course.
He challenged government to backtrack on the implementation of the CSE and adopt a much more truthful approach on issues concerning the CSE, which he described as being alien to our culture.
“They are already using the money, so what we should be hearing now is that they are sorry and that they will withdraw the whole thing. Then we would know that you are being sincere with us, you are not insulting our intelligence. But this approach where you have gone for money and are already implementing it whiles pretending those of us raising concerns, including religious leaders, are all being misled or hallucinating. When you do that you are adding insult to injury and will get Ghanaians more angry and offended.”
The introduction of the new CSE course as part of curriculum for students beginning from age four by the GES has caused a sharp divide among Ghanaians, with religious bodies and leaders mounting the strongest line of resistance.
In a move to quell the public outrage, the Ghana Education Service has said it is yet to approve the curriculum, indicating that it will not do anything to compromise Ghanaian values and norms.
