Former UG Vice-Chancellor calls for review of free SHS policy

Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, Prof Ivan Addae-Mensah, has called for a review of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme.

He said the proposal by the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, that the education policy should be amended to allow some parents to pay for the fees of the wards should not be dismissed.
Mr. Ofori-Atta had suggested that government’s flagship education policy must be targeted at people who lack the financial capacity and allow those with the means to pay for their children to continue to pay fees.

“The issue of free education, I don’t think it’s something that any of us can compromise on…It may be that there have to be changes in the way which we are administering it,” Mr Ofori-Atta said Monday in an interview on Citi FM.



Related: National interest must override wholesale implementation of political promises – Prof Addae-Mensah

But shortly after this proposal, the Education Ministry clarified that the policy will remain free across board, suggesting that the Finance Minister’s personal views do not represent the government’s policy direction.
“Whether it is Cabinet decision or not, let’s see whether there could be another alternative without abandoning the central principle of free education,” Prof Addae-Mensah told Joy News’ Emefa Dzradosi.

He also wants the government to implement the doubletrack semester system only as a temporary measure.

“This measure we have taken may solve the problem for some time. We shouldn’t look at it as a permanent solution. We should go back and sit at the drawing board,” he urged.

Source:Myjoyonline