President John Mahama has pledged to continue the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, giving the assurance to the Ghanaian people that he has no plans of cancelling the policy.
He made this known in the State of the Nation Address which is the first of his second term on Thursday, February 27, where he reiterated the plan of his government to refine the free SHS policy.
“Mr. Speaker, let me repeat it once again. I, John Dramani Mahama, will not cancel the Free SHS Programme. I will rather make it better from the implementation problems that it has been facing,” he stated.
He promised stakeholders in the educational sector, especially parents and students that his government was solely dedicated to enhancing the quality of education and ensuring that the programme serves the best interests of Ghanaian students.
President Mahama criticized the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government of mismanaging the free SHS policy, indicating that the Akufo-Addo government inflated the policy for political gain.
He noted that this had put immense pressure on the education system, leading to overcrowded classrooms, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient teaching resources.
He reiterated his vision of making Free SHS more effective by addressing its shortcomings and implementing reforms that would enhance access, quality, and sustainability.
“Our focus is to improve learning conditions, provide adequate resources, and ensure that students receive the best education possible,” he stressed.
