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Zeqblog Blog of Sunday, 15 December 2024
Source: Okine Isaac
Former President John Dramani Mahama has responded to reports that his administration intends to discontinue the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) scheme. These charges, based on remarks made by former finance minister Seth Terkper during a TV3 interview, have raised anxiety among Ghanaian parents. Terkper apparently hinted that under Mahama’s administration, the restriction would only apply to day students.
In a fast response, Mahama assured Ghanaians of his commitment to the Free SHS programme. “Free SHS is here to stay and will not be going anywhere. “Nobody is going to cancel Free SHS,” he declared strongly. He denied the charges as mere political advertising, stating that after the inauguration ceremony on January 7, 2025, his administration would focus on improving the policy rather than abolishing it.
According to Mahama, the current implementation of Free SHS is beset by inefficiency and insufficient resources. He announced plans to create a specific fund for the policy, ensuring that it is well-funded and effective. “We are going to stick to the policy. We intend to establish a specific fund for it in order to provide it with more resources than it now has. There is a lot of waste in the system, but we plan to make it more efficient so that instructors, parents, and students get the most out of it,” he explained.
Mahama also expressed concern over the country’s lack of basic education. “Approximately 1.3 million basic-level students do not have furniture. They lie on their bellies to do their homework in the classroom or sit on cement blocks, and this is because all attention has been focused on the secondary level,” he bemoaned.
To address these concerns, Mahama announced plans for a national education conference. This forum would bring stakeholders together to share ideas and proposals for improving the education system holistically. “We’re also going to look at the fundamental school. “We will seek advice from all stakeholders,” he stated.
With these remarks, Mahama has sought to allay concerns, underlining that his first aim is to improve the school system for the sake of all Ghanaian children.
