Gov’t to relook at free SHS, 15 other flagship programmes- Oppong Nkrumah

The Minister of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has announced the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has instructed all 16 flagship programmes introduced under his administration, including the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme be looked at.

That he said was to ensure the programmes are implemented to the benefit of Ghanaians.

“All the 16 flagship programmes are up to be looked at. The President has directed that the flagship programmes should be protected and fully implemented to ensure that the impact is achieved.

“However, he wants it done within the constraints of item number 2 which is the fiscal framework we are working with. If based on the caps that we are working with we will have to rescope a particular flagship program, we will do it and see how much we can achieve,”

Mr Oppong Nkrumah, 3news.com report sighted by the GhanaPlus.com said made the announcement on Citi FM on Monday March 21.

Review Free SHS – Gov’t told

There have been several calls by experts and a section of the Ghanaian public on the Government to take a second look at some of it flagship programmes introduced to address the deficit  in employment, industrialization, food security, jobs and host of others.

Notably among them is the government Free SHS, One District, One Factory also known as 1D1F, Nation Builders Corps (NABCO), Planting for Food and Job etc.

“For instance, a former Rector at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Professor Stephen Adei as a part of a review of the Free Secondary School policy, the government must exempt Category A or best-performed Senior High Schools (SHSs) from the Free Senior High School programme,” 3new.com said.

“We have to look at it again. I think that there are certain schools which we should make autonomous and fee-paying and people will go there, but then make sure there are good community schools for everybody else,” Professor Stephen Adei told Joy News.

“Only a small proportion of the poor come to Achimota, let the rich go there and pay. Use the Achimota funds to have very good schools in every district so that they can be there and don’t have to travel,” the renowned professor added.

The Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori Atta also in 2018 suggested a review of the poroigramme to make parents who are in the position to pay, do so.

“True, it may be that there have to be changes in the way we are administering it. I can’t take my child to Achimota or Odorgono and leave him or her there and drive away and not pay for anything whiles I can pay for ten people,” Mr Ofori Atta told journalists..

Source: GhanaPlus.com