Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Apaak has taken on persons claiming the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) flagbearer, John Dramani Mahama, has pledged to cancel the free Senior High School (SHS) policy and the free feeding programme.
According to the MP, all these are falsehoods being propagated by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in an attempt to smear the name of John Mahama, and make him unpopular.
Speaking in an interview on Peace FM, Dr. Clement Apaak clarified, “They are saying Mahama says he will end free SHS and the feeding programme. Those are lies and we need to let everyone know that. Mahama has not said he is cancelling free feeding under the free SHS.”
The Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament reinforced John Mahama’s commitment to improving the free SHS programme by finding alternative source of funding for the programme, and introducing structures to sustain it.
“He (Mahama) says when he comes, he will strengthen the free SHS. He (Mahama) will make sure there is proper funding. He said we will fund the policy. He said the double track will be abolished and he says the feeding program he will decentralize,” he added.
Former President Mahama plans to transfer the stocking of Senior High School’s from the National Buffer Stock to the school heads. This way adequate supplies are gotten for students, promoting balanced diets in the schools.
“That is what he said and you’re lying like this. Mahama never said he will cancel the feeding programme and free SHS,” he reiterated.
The free SHS programme has been fraught with various challenges since inception. Predominant amongst these challenges affecting students and being of a huge concern to parents is the inadequate amount of food, food shortages and the absence of balanced diets served students.
