EduWatch welcomes Nana Addo’s Free SHS review remark
Africa Education Watch after President Akufo-Addo said he is open to a national conversation on the government’s Free SHS programme has said a Free SHS review would make the flagship policy very effective, but not cost-efficient.
In a social media post sighted by AcademicWeek, the Africa-based Education Think Tank said “Eduwatch acknowledges His Excellency’s call for a broader conversation on the financing of the free SHS policy.”
BUY 2023 WASSCE RESULTS CHECKER HERE
“We must have a conversation on reducing cost while maintaining the same level of effectiveness, i.e. cost optimization. Other countries are spending less than half of what we are putting into free SHS, yet achieving the same results,” it stated.
In line with EduWatch, the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) on its part said “It is our anticipated hope that the conversation will be of national concern to bring onboard all the key partners to build this all-important conversation for our beloved country”
The stakeholders in the education sector comment come after Akufo-Addo at a meeting with the leadership of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) said despite challenges confronting Free SHS, it has come to stay.
“One of the things people are calling for is a review of free SHS. I think we should have a broader conversation about the incidence of education on our national development, and therefore also on our budgetary and public sector contributions to national education,” he told NUGS.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has said any decision by the central government to review the Free Senior High School policy would go against the purpose for which the program was introduced.
In an exclusive interview with Atinka TV at the New Patriotic Party delegates at the Accra Sports Stadium on July 16, 2022, the Bosomtwe Member of Parliament asked persons calling for the review to consider the purpose of the policy.
“Ask those who will pay if they will allow their children to go to any school other than the A class schools. I hear people say that those who can afford to pay, I tell you that the rich pay more taxes and it would not be fair to ask them to pay for the policy,” he told Atinka.