Audio Attachment: Listen to Kojo Oppong Nkrumah |
Deputy Information Minister and member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah says though it will be difficult for government to include private Senior High Schools in the free Senior High School policy in its current form, the possibility of private SHSs in the policy in the near-future cannot be discounted.
According to him, the policy is targeted at public schools who are non profit making institutions.
Some heads of private Senior High Schools in the country have expressed disappointment at the government over the manner in which it has handled its free SHS policy.
The heads, who are having to deal with almost empty classrooms since the programme took off, say they have been completely neglected by government.
Speaking at the press conference in Accra on Wednesday, General Secretary of the Conference of Heads of Private Second Cycle Schools (CHOPSS), Joseph Dzamesi said before the programme was implemented, they were made to believe that their schools had a role to play, but that is not the case.
“We consider the development so far as undermining the contribution of private Senior High Schools in the educational sector. It is as though the government is intentionally trying to collapse all private Senior High Schools in the country,” he said.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday launched the free SHS policy at the West Africa Senior High School at Adenta in Accra.
But speaking on Okay FM’s 'Ade Akye Abia' Programme, Deputy Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah explained that parents can however send their wards to private schools if they so wish and can afford.
“The free SHS policy does not forbid parents or guardians from sending their wards to the private Senior High Schools but absorbing them into the system to benefit free Senior High policy would be difficult," he added.
He however added that going forward government will consider the issues and find a better solution to their complains.
The Free SHS Policy, a flagship education programme of the government seeks to increase access to Secondary Education by removing the burden of paying fees from parents.
Under the policy, the government would foot all bills including feeding fees, tuition fees and all other charges. Over 142,000 eligible students would enjoy the programme which has already kicked off.
Source: Isaac Kwame Owusu/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Ofoase SHS has places for 200 and 600 has been put there and the children and students are sleeping in classrooms and dining halls and you are talking like this about private schools.
Though the arguments being bundled across may sound plausible, the Hon. Oppongs Nkrumah arguments makes a lot of sense. Private SHS are profit making organisations just like any other registered business. It's unfortunate some our children find themselves and Private SHS and one can sympathize with the challenge that owners of private SHS have to succumb in these days of a great competitor like Free SHS. But where were they when the NPP launched their free SHS policy 8years ago? Why didnt they put their grievances to the NPP then. Weren't they reading the signs on the wall. For Private SHS owners Ghanain high fees at Private Universities while other Ghanains also go to public universities under government subvention? Can those in Private Universities ask for govt subvention then? I think the Private SHS should just see this current Free SHS as a big challenge and prepare to deliver the goods so that they can attract parents who could afford to pay their wards fees in Private SHS. Private SHS are for Profit! Hon.Kojo Oppongs Nkrumahs arguments sounds convincing but I seriously sympathize with the managers of the Private SHS, they have a herculean task to surmount
Snowman has been exposed big time with his congenital lies! He is telling the country that private schools are included under the policy yet Oppong Nkrumah is saying otherwise. Which of the two positions is true? This is vintage Nsowah he will say and do anything to please his masters. We keep saying that this man is corrupt to the core so watch this space.
The free SHS Policy draws inspiration from the constitution which provides for a free, universal, compulsory and comprehensive basic education for Ghanaian children. It does not say the education should be in a government school, therefore if we consider what government spends on each student as a form of bursary then it stands to reason that every student who has qualified to be enrolled into SHS should benefit from the policy. l think that the government should set up a scholarship scheme for students who are qualified but who for some reason cannot gain admission into a public school and have to attend a private school. These students will apply for sponsorship from government and if approved can only get what other students in public schools get and not more. The money is coming from Ghana's mineral resources and we cannot discriminate between students.
Teachers in private colleges should join public schools to make it better. Paying private schools or extending Free SHS to private colleges will lead to massive corruption which will collapse the free education. If they want they can sell their schools to government.
It's just a matter of time. The results will tell if subsequently parents will send their children to the public or private school. I can only see overloaded classroom with teacher suffocating under homework etc. When is happens there and then we would sit back and lick our wounds.How can a teacher teach 60 students in a single class? We are into mass production!!! People who used to ask critical questions are all silent as if everything is ok. When things turn the other way, same quiet people will lay blame on parent when hitherto the blame was always on the government in power. The hypocrisy is legendary.
Start Speaking to them and pay them the Governmnet rate whilst parents pay the difference. Not every parent will want the child in Government school. Once they have paid for them at the basic level why not the secondary level.
They have capitalized on the old system to make all the monies they wanted, with some accepting payments in foreign currencies. They should be minded that in all countries where high school education is free, the policy does not cover private schools.I don't see how they want Government to assist them. Must they be reminded that they are in business and for that matter, they are profit-making organizations? They should stop this political accusation, and research for best practices the world over. Norway, Sweden, Denmark,Finland, Germany, Amerika, are but a few of such countries where free high school education is in operation. Governments free education at high school level do not cover the students in private schools in the above countries.