NDC will cancel free SHS if voted into power- Education Minister

The Education Minister, Mathew Opoku Prempeh has stated that a future NDC government would cancel the free S.H.S policy, depriving many vulnerable Ghanaian students of education.

According to him, the sudden decision of the NDC to review the free S.H.S policy if it assumes power in 2021 was a clear indication the opposition would cancel the policy.

The decision of the NDC government to review the free S.H.S policy and not annul it was made known in Accra last year by the former President, John Dramani Mahama while he was in a meeting with leaders of the Ghana National Council for Private Schools (GNACOPS).

He stated that the free S.H.S policy would be reviewed within his first 90 days in office as president.

He also said the review would be done through the help of stakeholders in the education sector.

But speaking from Kumasi to Citi News, in an interview monitored by theghanareport.com, he stated that the only thing expected of the National Democratic Congress is to commit to continue with the free S.H.S policy and not their decision to review it.

“…For me, I will review means I will cancel,” he added.

He urged Ghanaians to avoid the cancellation of the free S.H.S policy by voting massively for the New Patriotic Party in the upcoming general election in December 2020 so they can continue with the free SHS.

The free SHS policy which was one of the dominant elements of the NPP’s manifesto was launched in less than nine months into the Akufo-Addo government in September 2017.

The implementation of the free SHS policy resulted in a high level of enrollment in the senior High schools which resulted in the introduction of the double-track system announced by the Education Ministry.

The system divides the entire student body and staff into two different tracks known as the gold track and the green track.

This system prevents the two tracks from being in school together. One track remains at home till another track vacates and vice versa.
The two-track system adopted after the implementation of the free SHS policy has changed Ghana’s second cycle institution system which is over 70- years from three terms to a two-semester system.

The first badge of students to benefit from the free SHS policy are currently undergoing the annual West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for all final year students.