It is only Akufo-Addo's government that does not want free SHS reviewed - MP

A Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Education Committee is perplexed as to why President Akufo-Addo has refused to review the free senior high school policy despite calls from stakeholders.

According to Dr Clement Apaak, stakeholders such as clergy, parents, and other well-meaning Ghanaians have all asked for the policy to be reviewed.

However, the President has refused to heed these calls, despite the fact that they would aid in resolving the policy’s challenges.

He cited an article in the Thursday edition of The Chronicle Newspaper titled “Methodist Church Wants Free SHS Reviewed.”

The Kumasi Diocese of the Methodist Church Ghana believes that, while the policy is admirable, it should be revised.

Despite allowing more disadvantaged children to attend SHS, the Church stated that the policy faced several challenges.

The Church raised concerns about the academic calendar, the school feeding programme, and the computerised selection placement system, among other things.

In response to the church’s call, Dr Apaak stated that only the President is unwilling to accept the call to review free SHS.

He emphasised how important and prudent it was for the President to review the policy.

"Stakeholders in education, the clergy, unions, parents and well-meaning Ghanaians have all called for and/or supported the call for a review of the FSHS policy, except Akufo-Addo and his NPP gov’t. What is wrong with reviewing a policy to make it better, I don’t get it!”

In September 2022, the lawmaker requested that President Akufo-Addo direct the Minister of Education to begin the review processes.

The Builsa South Legislator believes that the pro-poor policy should be reviewed in its entirety, rather than just the funding issues.

He stated that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) leadership requested a review of the free SHS programme due to the issues that are stifling the programme.

Dr. Apaak stated that the NDC was passionate about the policy, which is why the opposition party dedicated an entire page in their manifesto to how to deal with the program’s challenges.

“It is, for this reason, some of us were consistently relentless in calling attention to the need for a stakeholder forum. And that in other ways, can be looked at as a national conversation so that we can agree on the way forward by reviewing the programme in its entirety.”

“This programme was borne out of the partisan political campaign in terms of whether it was going to be progressive or the way he implemented it. It is not his personal property,” Dr Apaak stated.