Former Deputy Education Minister and Member of Parlaiment (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, says he has it on authority that, some students in one of second cycle institutions in Cape Coast are pregnant as a result of the Free Senior High School policy.
Since the rolling out of the policy more than three months ago, the minority side in parliament, especially Mr. Ablakwa, has consistently raised doubts about the effectiveness of the policy, insisting, at different times, that the policy may collapse because of government’s inability to sustain it.
There have been widespread reports of challenges with students either studying under trees or eating in poorly ventilated dining rooms. Recently in an interview, he was emphatic the policy will collapse in five years because government does not have the capacity to see the program to a successful end.
Speaking on Asempa FM Monday, Mr. Ablakwa, who declined to name the specific school and the four girls, said the policy has rendered most students homeless and as a result resorted to renting apartments outside of the school.
He said the situation is what has resulted in the pregnancy of the four students, whose identity he will not disclose.
The free SHS policy which was major campaign tool of the current government in 2012 an 2016 respectively, was rolled out in September this year with over 400, 000 beneficiaries.
It has however been characterized by challenges ranging from the unavailability of accommodation, furniture, poor feeding to lack of basic amenities at the implementing institutions.
Some members of the current government including Dr Kwame Amoako Tuffuor, have called on government to take pragmatic steps in addressing challenges the programme is saddled with citing his experience during a visit to one of the schools.
Source: ghanaweb.com
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who brought this man in there?
How I wish he was an mp of a place like east Legon
Voltarians are hoping Ablakwa will become a president one day?, Please bring Koku instead.
FRIVOLOUS, man, just FRIVOLOUS.
pls dont make ***barred word*** of all the years you spent educating yourself because of politics
Let Okudzeto not come back in 2020 to say he supported or wasn't against the free SHS. He has even said it will collapse in five years. We have marked his words.
Your were a deputy minister in a government that sought to build 200 HSH all day. You are speaking as if we all have short memory. You see, if you pay the likes of this boys to become ministers, this is what you get because they always have nothing to say.
What else can they offer. Their main object was to steel from us. How they be comfortable seeing NPP deliver on their promises one after the other? I was a personal witness to parents burdened by school fees, there was hue and cry by some of them anytime SHS were about to be re-opened. Now, if a listening and caring Gov't has taken this burden off them, do you expect the parents to see the project collapse?
i am disappointed as a Ghanaian. see what we are paying as parliamentarians. complete waste of resources.
Ablakwa should bow down his head in shame. During their era, some students in the central region where in private hostels. A school like those we call big schools, and they did not get pregnant, I am not saying its good for them to be in private hostels but do not talk as if you just came down from heaven so Ghana looks like hell to you. Rather I think you should pray for God to give Nana more strength and wisdom to be able to deliver but do not pull down his legs. Oguaa koto.