IYP lauds govt for internationally recognized 'free SHS policy'
Education Minister, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh
Intellectual Youth Patriots (IYP) commends Government and Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Minister of Education) on the spotlight the Free SHS implementation is giving the nation globally.
Read full article According to them, free SHS policy has been instrumental in the second cycle education of Ghana since it's the introduction, gaining global admiration and praise to the extent that other countries like the Government of Kenya want to emulate the good work of the NPP government led by HE Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo.
The Ministry of Education in Kenya has written to the Ministry of Education Ghana seeking support to emulate the free SHS policy that was started by the NPP government in their country. This should tell us how thoughtful and helpful the free SHS policy is and this has come to stay to afford every Ghanaian of school-going age to have access to this opportunity to raise our level of literacy in the country.
"We believe that this is just the beginning of the great reforms in our educational sector. HE Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo needs 4 more years to do more for our beloved country and we will go all length to advocate and enlighten Ghanaians on his good works. Ghana is indeed working again,"
Education, according to the Universal declaration of human right article 26 should be free and accessible to everyone. Everyone should have the right to education especially at the elementary and fundamental stages; it should be compulsory for everyone. The 1992 constitution of Ghana in article 25 also states that (1) All persons shall have the right to equal educational opportunities and facilities and with a view to achieving the full realization of that right- (a) basic education shall be free, compulsory an available to all; (b) secondary education in its different forms, including technical and vocational education, shall be made generally available and accessible to all by every appropriate means, and in particular, by the progressive introduction of free education
It is against this backdrop, that the Government of Ghana in 2017 under the able leadership of His Excellency President Nana Addo Danquah Akuffo-Addo announced the introduction of the Free Senior High School policy as it was a major campaign promise made prior to the 2016 general elections.
A lot of students have enrolled in various Senior High schools in the country since then; records show that enrollment in the year of the inception of this policy increased by over 75%. This policy is one of the reasons President Nana Addo won the 2016 general elections with such a huge margin and as such deserves our praise and admiration as he is a man of his words, he is the kind of leader Ghana and Africa at large would love to have. It is the vision of the President to see every Ghanaian child have Basic education to at least the Senior High level not only for the knowledge they gain but the life-changing experiences that they get as well.
The free SHS policy implementation, though it came with its challenges due to the high number of students enrolled, have helped Ghanaians and has several advantages. It was in the wake of these challenges that the double-track system was introduced by the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service under the able leadership and Supervision of the Honourable Minister of Education Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.
The Free SHS policy has gained international recognition and admiration from other countries worldwide as it is evident in the letter from the Ministry of Education, Kenya dated 31st January, 2020 addressed to the Minister of Education, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh requesting for technical support from the Government of Ghana in aid of Kenya's educational reform. In the said letter, the Government of Ghana was applauded for the implementation of such a policy and it's success and as such requested for the aid of the Government to conceptualize and design a double-track system that will enable Kenya to achieve 100% transition for 2 cohorts of learners.
We are proud of the President and the Honourable Minister, Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh for the implementation of such a policy and putting Ghana on the map positively unlike other Governments...
We have no doubt that President Nana Addo will get another 4 more years to do more for our beloved country. To those who for their own selfish and parochial political interests consider this policy needless and not worth it, the rising intellectual youth of this country are watching keenly and we say that Education is a right to all and not a privilege for few... One good term, we believe deserves another.
