The free SHS policy has for some time with push from the Ghana Education Service (GES) reconvened the backing of parents and other stakeholders to its policy amidst continual challenges and accusing remarks.

Atinka TV’s morning show Ghana Nie saw on 1st September 2021 dedicated its key discussion on the Free SHS challenges and the way forward. The Host EKOURBA GYASI SIMPREMU made in his opening statement that “the Ghana Education Service Head allegedly acclaimed to the free Senior High School been full proof but substantially we all are bearing witness to its increasing yet to solved challenges”

“When it came everyone was happy and there was seemingly thin line equality between the rich and poor as far as education and its computerized based selection were concerned.” He added

A sudden rise in these challenges is putting the GES on hand to try and find a means to solve them with the Council of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) been charged to work hard address it.The Deputy Director-General in charge of Quality and Access at Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr Kwabena Bempah Tandoh further revealed in a statement that, “there have been challenges in terms of the approval of funds for running the schools. But as I speak to you now, Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) has received all monies for Form 2s and 3s.” Despite criticism and calls for the double track aspect of the policy to be scrapped, the Deputy Director of the GES urged Ghanaians to embrace the programme as thousands of young people are benefiting from it.


Further to the discussion by the panel on the morning show it came to light  Locals who previously  had a means to work and livelihood from production to finish and schools that could have assessed resources and certain terms have had a diverse effect of personal gains and as a result of the government centralizing the system and thus having a toll on the Free SHS. Headmasters and school heads were abusing the system while others were sabotaging the system for personal gains and interest. Whereas these practices has placed not only pressure on parents to cater or find alternatives to help wards survive and be in school but also on government trying to defend the acclaimed full proof system. It is an encouraged attentiveness on the part of school authorities and stakeholders in monitoring the quality of supplies and bring to book culprits who seek to sabotage or extract extra income from the system.


It was in light of this that the challenge of inadequate text and teaching materials became a focal discussion point on the show. It was allegedly believed that most schools didn’t have enough reading and writing materials to make the smooth transition of both learning and the free SHS effective.

The Government of Ghana introduced subsidies at the Senior High School t to reduce the burden on parents and guardians of wards in such schools and help move Ghana Education to the era but until these challenges are addressed we would keep moving around the same point the; panel stressed.

EKOURBA GYASI SIMPREMU in his last statement made emphatically clear that if there are no funds or means to sustain the FREE SHS it should be focused on the first year of students during which period the GES can assess students whose parents can afford to pay fees for 2 and 3 years of the SHS”

 

 



BY JONATHAN ARDAYFIO

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