Free SHS project putting strain on national budget – Asantehene
His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II following the inclusion of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Free SHS policy says the flagship program has overburdened the national budget of the economy.
Describing the free Senior High school initiative as the boldest policy of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo-led government, the Asantehene said it has also worsened the unemployment challenges in the country.
“Considering the value to the nation, this must be one of the boldest policies of the nation but it also brings its challenges,” Otumfuo II stated at the University of Memphis, USA, adding that it has guaranteed free education.
“The current government has introduced free education up to Senior High School, which now ensures that all Ghanaian children from whatever background are guaranteed free education
“It [Free Senior High School] puts a huge strain on the national budget and raises further the challenge about the creation of jobs for the increasing number of graduates”, the King said in his speech at the USA-based university.
But, the Minister for Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has said the popular Free SHS policy introduced in September 2017 to increase second cycle school enrollment is run by the Education Minister through the Free SHS Secretariat.
“The Free SHS project is not run from the Jubilee House, the Minister for Education is in charge of administrations of the popular initiative through the Free SHS Secretariat,” the Bosomtwe Member of Parliament told the media.
Yaw Opoku Mensah, the Deputy spokesperson for the Ministry of Education (MoE) has also debunked the claim the five-year-old Free SHS program is funded by LGBT countries or individuals in support of the Gay and Lesbianism act.
“Free SHS, trainees allowance and school feeding program is not donor-funded, its Government of Ghana funded, the amount to be spent this year on the Free SHS project is not funded by any LGBT country,” Yaw Opoku Mensah said.
