The Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, introduced in Ghana in 2017, has been one of the most transformative educational policies in recent years. Aimed at providing equitable access to secondary education, it has enabled thousands of students from low-income families to attend high school without the financial burden of fees.
However, the policy has faced criticism for its implementation challenges, including inadequate funding, inefficiencies, and neglect of basic education.
President-elect John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his commitment to the Free SHS policy, dispelling rumors of its potential cancellation while outlining improvement plans.
John Dramani Mahama emphasized that Free SHS is a permanent fixture in Ghana’s educational landscape. He reaffirmed;
“Nobody is going to scrap Free SHS. Free SHS has come to stay, and it is not going anywhere. What was said was political talk, and it was just political gimmickry.”
President-elect John Dramani Mahama
John Mahama underscored his dedication to maintaining the policy, ensuring that students continue to benefit from free secondary education.
However, he highlighted the need for reforms to improve the policy’s efficiency and effectiveness.
He pointed out the need to resolve the bottlenecks that have hampered its implementation. He remarked;
“We’re going to maintain the policy. What we’re going to do is to get dedicated funding for it so that it is better resourced than it is currently.”
President-elect John Dramani Mahama
This move, according to him, would eliminate waste in the system and ensure that the policy serves its intended purpose more effectively.
“There’s a lot of waste in the system. We’re going to help to make it more efficient so that the teachers, the parents, and the students get the best out of the Free SHS. We’re going to make it better. We’re going to improve the quality of the food for the children.”
President-elect John Dramani Mahama
Mahama criticized the disproportionate focus on Free SHS. He revealed alarming statistics about the state of basic schools. He emphasized;
“We are focused on Free SHS, [and] we are abandoning the basic level. And so, the basic level is becoming a major problem. 1,300,000 pupils at a basic level do not have furniture. They don’t have tables and chairs to sit on. They lie on their stomachs in the classroom or sit on cement blocks.”
President-elect John Dramani Mahama
He stressed that this neglect has created a major problem that needs immediate attention.
A National Education Forum
To tackle these challenges comprehensively, Mahama announced plans, on how he would achieve the target set. He noted;
“We’re going to hold a national education forum. And that forum is going to bring all the stakeholders together. And we’re going to take a look at the whole education value chain. By consensus, all of us—nonpartisan—everybody from every walk of life who has a stake in education is going to be at that conference. And we’re going to make important decisions on how to reform our education so that the children get better quality.”
President-elect John Dramani Mahama
Albeit, John Mahama’s vision extends beyond the secondary level, aiming for a more balanced and equitable education system.
John Dramani Mahama’s remarks reaffirm his commitment to the Free SHS policy while outlining a pragmatic path toward addressing its shortcomings.
By ensuring dedicated funding, eliminating waste, and improving the quality of services, he seeks to enhance the program’s efficiency.
Additionally, his focus on basic education and plans for a national education forum demonstrate a broader vision for Ghana’s education system.
John Mahama’s pledge to maintain and reform Free SHS resonates with his belief in education as a critical tool for national development.
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