Claims that his administration would end Ghana’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy have been denied by president-elect John Dramani Mahama, who has reiterated his commitment to its continuation.
Mahama stressed in a Voice of America (VOA) interview that these claims were political misinformation that lacked evidence and were mostly spread by New Patriotic Party (NPP) officials during the election campaign.
“Free SHS has come to stay, and it is not going anywhere,” Mahama stated. “Nobody is going to scrap Free SHS. What was said was political talk and gimmickry. We are going to maintain it, What we are going to do is get dedicated funding for it.”
The Policy
The Free SHS program, which was implemented in 2017 during the Akufo-Addo administration, offers public senior high school students free tuition, boarding, and meals. It has made secondary education accessible to hundreds of thousands of Ghanaian adolescents, particularly those from disadvantaged homes.
Nevertheless, the strategy has encountered difficulties that have impacted its quality and execution, such as packed classrooms, poor infrastructure, and a delayed funding release.
Mahama’s position is to fix these issues while maintaining the program’s essential advantages. Securing a dependable funding source is part of his plan to ease financial strains and raise the standard of instruction provided by the program.
A major component of John Mahama’s campaign platform was his pledge to continue free SHS, which struck a chord with many Ghanaians who were worried about educational justice and access. His electoral victory on December 7 was significant.
He received 6,328,397 votes, or 56.55% of the total valid votes cast, and was proclaimed the winner by the Electoral Commission. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP, his closest opponent, received 4,657,304 votes (41.61%), however he lost.
Mahama, who was Ghana’s leader from 2012 to 2017, is returning to the president with this triumph. Restoring the economy, combating corruption, and enhancing social programs like healthcare and education were the main focuses of his campaign.
During the elections, the Free SHS program was a divisive topic, with the NPP threatening to destroy it if elected. Ghanaians, particularly parents and pupils who have profited from the initiative, are intended to feel reassured by Mahama’s forceful rejoinder.
In order to ensure the policy’s effective and long-lasting implementation, the president-elect has committed to reviewing and improving it in collaboration with education stakeholders.
