Mr Kofi Asare, Executive Director of Education Watch, has encouraged the President to take the Presbyterian Church’s advise and examine the free Senior High School (SHS) Policy.
In his opinion, there is no reason to continue spending nearly $1 billion on feeding school students, some of whom are not disadvantaged and can eat themselves.
Mr Asare made these remarks on the Ghana Tonight Show with Alfred Ocansey on TV3 on Wednesday, August 17, in response to the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, who stated that the President will not cancel the program.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, according to Dr. Adutwum, is committed to the implementation of the free Senior High School (SHS) project.
He stated that the chance provided by the program to less privileged students in Ghana will not be taken away by canceling the policy.
“Some of us who have been privileged look at free senior high school through other lenses.” Look at the chance that has been offered to my villages in Bosomtwe.
“They are on edge, fearful that the opportunity would be snatched away from them.” “I want to tell the people of this nation that their opportunity will not be snatched away; the president is totally committed to the implementation of free SHS,” the Bosomtwe lawmaker told Alfred Ocansey on Ghana Tonight.
In response to his remarks, Mr Kofi Aare stated, “His Excellency the President stated two weeks ago that the free SHS policy will not be scrapped, but he did not state that it will not be revisited.” In any case, no one has indicated it should be cancelled, therefore I thought his comments should have addressed the review issue.
“The free SHS is a political pledge, not a regular education program or a free compulsory universal basic education policy.”
“It is a policy that is dictated by the seat of government, not the Ministry of Education.” So any review of that program must be initiated, if not sanctioned, by the Presidency, and only the President has the authority to do so. So I understand why the Minister is powerless, despite the fact that, as an experienced educator exposed to global standards, I know the Minister will agree with us that, given the circumstances we are in, the best way to spend limited resources is not to spend close to 1.5 billion feeding children, some of whom are not poor.
We can only hope that His Excellency, based on the petition made to him last Sunday in Abetifi by the Presby Church, will evaluate some of the items that the government is paying.”
The Presbyterian Church of Ghana, for example, asked the government to cover some of the costs because “many” parents were eager to contribute to their children’s education.
Despite praising President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for his determination to maintain the Programme in the face of an imminent bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Church stated that massive budget deficits make it difficult for government to meet all Programme obligations.
“Your Excellency, the Presbyterian Church of Ghana believes that the state should fund some of these expenditures for those who are capable of bearing them because there are some parents who are capable and eager to contribute to their children’s education.”
This was stated in a statement issued following the Church’s 22nd General Assembly.
The 22nd General Assembly was conducted on the topic ‘Christ in you, the Hope of Glory’ from Wednesday, August 10 through Sunday, August 14.
The Church highlighted a number of concerns, including corruption, economic challenges, perceived miscarriage of justice in the courts, and other perceived or genuine shortcomings in governmental management.
It lauded the administration for instituting a pro-poor policy such as the Free SHS.
“It is commendable that the government has sacrificed many developmental needs to ensure that every child, regardless of economic background, has access to secondary school.”
It reaffirmed its commitment to the country’s growth.
“The Presbyterian Church of Ghana is dedicated to contributing its fair share to the nation’s development,” the General Assembly said.
“We commit to work with the state to achieve our people’s common ambitions.”
“We pledge our wholehearted support for any worthy initiative aimed at creating peace, stability, and prosperity in the country.”
Source: Operanews
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