The Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has said that government is considering making tertiary education free to Ghanaians.
In a discussion yesterday, Mr Oppong Nkrumah clarified the fact that government was now considering the move and has not implemented as it was being circulated earlier.
“As we get ready for what we believe is a round two, there is serious consideration about the possibility of extending some support to persons who intend to take up tertiary education and once that consideration is done whichever way the pendulum swings you will hear some very bold statements on it.”
He further went on to say that as they are yet to put out their manifesto in some weeks to come, further details will be made known.
Over the weekend during an interview the President, Nana Akuffo-Addo said that his government is considering implementing free tertiary education in the country.
The president noted that he intends to invest in the education of the people since the greatest investment to make in a country is to invest in its people.
“What I have realised is that countries that are leading in development began by investing in their people and it helped a lot.”
He also said the measures were still in consideration but did not give a timeline.
“I don’t want to give a timeline but I am sure it is possible”
“For now, what has been put in place is a system where students at the tertiary level are provided loans whiles in school to help them cater for their needs but we are considering free tertiary education too.”
Moving on to the issue raised by basic school teachers that Senior High School teachers were receiving incentives to the neglect of the basic school teachers, Mr Oppong Nkrumah said that he is not sure Senior High School teachers have been given a special incentive for managing the final year and gold track students.
He said that, the incentives were given to front line health workers treating COVID-19 related cases and not general health workers or even Senior High School teachers.
“What I recall is that there were initial calls by some teachers that they were also considering themselves as frontline workers and therefore like the doctors and the nurses they should be given some incentives and government responded that they were talking about frontline health workers.”
