A LEGITIMATE CALL FOR AN OVERWHELMING NATIONAL SUPPORT FOR FREE SHS

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By Iddi Muhayu-Deen

President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia display the free SHS logo

Cynicism, they say, doesn’t build a nation. It always seems impossible until it is done. Free SHS is a national project that has come to stay. We must all support this novelty regardless of our political persuasions. Undoubtedly, free SHS is by far, the biggest social intervention in our Educational Spector since Independence. It is an investment in the [ads1]future of the youth of our country.

Our younger brothers and sisters who are the ultimate beneficiaries of this laudable intervention are children of NDC people, NPP people, PPP people, PNC people or CPP people. So, you see clearly that the free SHS project is bigger than any political party. It is therefore a GHANA PROJECT. In critiquing this policy, we must at all times, let the Ghana in us take precedence over the NPP or NPP in us. It doesn’t matter which political party is implementing it.

I am not a fan of Kofi Adams of NDC fame. In fact, I have never been. But I tell you one thing; this gentleman has justifiably earned my respect when he called the bluff of his party people who are wishing ill for this national project. Everything cannot be politics in this country. We all know that every single Ghanaian will directly or indirectly benefit from the free SHS programme. So, why the negative wishes? Why do we hate our country this much?

Our criticism of this award winning policy must be constructive and one geared at making it better as the President himself said. Clearly, the implementers of the free SHS programme are not oblivious of the fact that there would be challenges especially at this early stage of implementation; as it is the case in every monumental policy. But definitely, it would get better as we move on. Remember, a journey of a thousand miles, starts with a step. We can never get there if we don’t take any step in that direction.

Now, talking about the sustainability of the free SHS programme, once we all agree that it is the way to go for our country, then we shouldn’t have difficulty in making little sacrifices towards ensuring its sustainability. We shouldn’t for instance, have difficulty agreeing with say, a 1% increment in VAT for this purpose. Nothing good, they say, comes easy.

If we can’t make this sacrifice for the future of our country, then we don’t have our nation at heart. And that means, we have absolutely no business calling ourselves Ghanaians. EDUCATION, remember, is the PASSPORT to the FUTURE as said by the great Malcolm X. My fellow countrymen and women, it is not enough for us to be citizens. We must be good and responsible citizens for the love of God and country.

Assalamu Alaik

Iddi Muhayu-Deen
#ForGodAndCountry