In a reassurance to Ghanaians, President John Dramani Mahama is pledging to sustain the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, contrary to speculations that his administration would cancel it.
This commitment was reiterated during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) in his second term, where he emphasized that the Free SHS program is here to stay.
President John Mahama’s administration has been consistent with his rhetoric for its support for the Free SHS policy, stating in an interview before taking office with Voice of Africa that “Free SHS has come to stay, and it is not going anywhere”.
This stance has been reinforced by his Finance Minister, Cassiel Ato Forson, who expressed full support for the President’s pledge to preserve and strengthen the policy during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
According to President Mahama, approximately 3.4 million students have benefited from the policy since its introduction, contradicting the previous government’s claim of 5.1 million beneficiaries.
President John Mahama described the latter figure as “exaggerated and a false narrative calculated to achieve political credit”.
As part of his commitment to improving the Free SHS policy, John Mahama has promised to eliminate the double-track system by accelerating school infrastructure expansion and completing stalled educational projects.
Additionally, the kindergarten and primary curriculum will be reviewed to ensure that Ghana’s education system is tailored to meet the needs of its citizens.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
