Education Minister Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh
Am very happy the NDC as a party never spoke against the Free SHS but was very much concern about its implementation and the effects it will have on the students.
Under the leadership of former President John Dramani Mahama and [ads1]Prof. Naana Opoku Agyeman, they envisaged the numerous challenges that will emanate if the government rolls out the free SHS in a wholesale manner.
They knew very well that other sectors of our Education like the basic and the tertiary will suffer and will be neglected hence the introduction of the Progressively free Education as mandated by our constitution to enable government’s assistance to reach all levels of our Education.
The leadership at that time knew very well that it is better to lay the very strong foundation at the basic level instead of rushing to implement the free SHS because if the foundation is not strengthened the building will collapse in no time.
NPP in order to score political points without thinking of the possible effects rushed with the implementation of the program without thinking through hence the numerous challenges.
With the facts available which the headmasters in the various Senior High schools can attest to, since the 20% payment by the Free SHS Secretariat last year, not even a pesewa has again hit the accounts of the various schools as trumpeted by the Minister.
Headmasters are forced to manage their schools with the fees from the Mahama’s Progressively free policy.
The headmasters are afraid to talk about the happenings because they are afraid of being victimized by the Oppressors.
All is not well in our Senior High Schools.
The Education Minister has severally come out to indirectly tell us that the Free SHS is in an intensive care unit and if care is not taken there will be a tsunami in our Senior High Schools.
Government’s inability to finance the Free SHS has led to a reduction of the days in the academic term by almost one month just to reduce to cost on the Free SHS program.
Now the Senior High Schools will lose academic work for 21 days out of the normal 14weeks they are to be in school all because of Free SHS.
Education of our children is been compromised by the NPP in order to fulfill their political promises at the expense of our children.
I wonder why our various stakeholders are quite on the happenings in our country these days.
I hereby humbly call on our various PTAs to rise above enjoying the hypertensive free SHS and call for the right things to be done before they collapse our SHS education for us.
Our Children, Our Future! Let’s give our headmasters and children a voice against the oppressors rule for a better Education.
I AM A CITIZEN, NOT A SPECTATOR!
Efo Worlanyo TSEKPO
B/A Youth Activist.