MoE raise concerns over sports betting centres near schools
The Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum says plans are underway for his outfit to meet the Gaming Commission of Ghana to discuss the regulation of sports betting centres near educational institutions in the country.
Commenting on a report on the issue put together by the Balaka Policy Institute (BPI), he said the meeting will create an opportunity for stakeholders in the Gaming industry to take a look at the age eligible to be at such gaming centres.
The Balaka Policy Institute report disclosed that operators of these sports betting centres strategically set up their facilities near educational institutions, particularly Senior High Schools (SHSs) to attract naive gaming students.
Commending the BPI for the research, Dr Adutwum pledged to collaborate with the Gaming Commission towards finding a lasting solution to the challenge which poses a threat to the development of education in the country.
The Head of Research at the BPI, Dr Adam Yunus, on his part appealed to the Minister in charge of Education, Dr Osei Adutwum as a matter of urgency to help curb the springing up of such betting centres around SHSs in the country.
The Balaka Policy Institute research comes after Deputy Minister for Education, John Ntim Fordjour urged students especially tertiary students to desist from using their academic user fees for sports betting and other unnecessary stuff.
Ntim Fordjour’s advice comes after the management of the Kumasi-based Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) deferred courses of some students over their inability to pay their tuition fees on time.
Speaking to journalists, the University Relations Officer (URO), Daniel Norris Bekoe said some of the students according to their colleagues s invested their fees in many businesses including online hailing taxi services, betting and bakery.
The KNUST spokesperson in an exclusive interview with the Daily Graphic newspaper, said the students deferred by the management represent 8% of the entire university student population for the 2021/2022 academic year.
