Free SHS will work despite challenges – Nana Addo

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President Akufo Addo has said his administration will ensure the free SHS policy is sustained despite the difficulties that confront it currently.
Citi News has reported about the infrastructure challenges facing some Senior High Schools across the country since the introduction of the policy.

In an interaction with the Bawku Chief who paid a courtesy call on him, the President reiterated the commitment of his administration to ensure the policy is sustained for the benefit of Ghana.

“We have to speak the truth to each other as Ghanaians. In today’s world, Junior High School Education is not enough. We have to make sure that everybody gets to Secondary School and that’s why I am determined that the policy of free SHS will continue and continue so that all our children always have the opportunity to go to school. It is not being done for politics, it is not being done for votes. It is being done for the development of our country” he stated.

“This year, to show you the impact of the policy, 90,000 more students are in Senior High School this year than they were last year, because of the promise, and we want to make sure everybody who is eligible can find their place in the high school. There are difficulties with the programme, there are difficulties with logistics and infrastructure in the schools, classrooms, dormitories, and science labs, but everything new when it starts has problems. If you do not start, you cannot progress.”

The free SHS policy has been fraught with a number of challenges since its launch.

A large number of students who had gained admission to various schools, had challenges with their placements after the policy was launched.
Also, some school heads had not received full funding for first year students who were expected to benefit from the programme.

Free SHS challenges due to poor planning – Spio Garbrah

A former Trade Minister, Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah, had indicated that the hitches that have marred the implementation of the policy are due to the lack of planning.

In an interview with Citi News, he said this was evidenced by the fact the government is yet to clearly declare the cost and funding for the policy.
“Today that Free SHS has started, even the total cost is still not known and where the money is going to come from is still not known,” Dr. Spio Garbrah stated.

Despite concerns raised by skeptics, President Nana Addo is optimistic his administration will surely find ways of sustaining the programme.