EduWatch raises concerns over some items in SHS prospectus

Education think tank – Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) after the A4 sheet was included in the prospectus of first-year Senior High School students has questioned the purpose of the sheet demanded in the SHS prospectus.

The Executive Director of the Watch, Kofi Asare in a social media post said “prior to free SHS, no student took A4 sheets to school for exam; They paid an exam fee which govt eventually absorbed under the free SHS policy.”

He further asked “why are SHS now demanding reams of A4 sheets in students’ prospectus, when we are told our taxes are used to pay the examination fee to Senior High Schools under Free Senior High School (Free SHS)?

Among other items approved in the controversial prospectus for the 2023 batch of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) beneficiaries, Kofi Asare said are parazone, gallon of liquid soap, Electric bulbs, weedicides and Detol.

“Why all these, when the government is supposed to have fully absorbed sanitation and maintenance fees, per the free SHS policy and budget for every year, including 2023? the Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) Director quizzed.

The education think tank following the sanitation items has called on the Ministry in charge of Education to review the SHS prospectus adding that “else, these fee items become overly duplicitous and potentially wasteful.”

In a related development, the management of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has cautioned Heads of Senior High/Technical Schools to desist from issuing an unapproved prospectus to first-year second-cycle school students.

In a communique sighted by AcademicWeek, GES said It has come to the attention of some Heads of public schools are issuing an unapproved prospectus and also selling some of the items on the prospectus to the first-year students.

The management of the Education Service also said Some Heads of public Senior High/Technical Schools (SHS/TVET) are also allegedly selling free items that are supplied by the government to the 2023 Free Senior High School students.

“Management of the Ghana Education Service takes strong exception to this practice and wishes to state unequivocally that the practice is prohibited and must cease with immediate effect,” the GES said in the social media communique.

GES has therefore cautioned Heads of public second-cycle schools to stick to the approved harmonised prospectus for students. Any Head caught demanding any item(s) aside from the approved ones it said will be severely sanctioned.