The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, says the determination by some elements within the National Democratic Congress to “review the Free Senior High School policy if voted into office” only means the eventual collapse of the policy.
According to President Akufo-Addo, the Ghanaian people should be alarmed by the proposal of the NDC and its presidential aspirant, John Dramani Mahama, for a review of the Free SHS policy – a policy which has ensured that 270,000 more Ghanaian children, in 2017 and 2018, have gained access to Senior High School.
“I am alarmed by this concept of review. This is because, anytime our political opponents try anything of this sort, it leads the policy in question into coma. We all remember the NHIS one-term premium payment review pledge. Not only did the review not materialize, but they also succeeded in degrading the policy,” the President bemoaned.
He continued, “I honestly suspect reviewing the Free SHS policy means collapsing it. But, I doubt the Ghanaian people will allow this brilliant policy to be collapsed by anyone.”
President Akufo-Addo made this known on Friday, 28th September, 2018, when he addressed a townhall meeting of Ghanaians resident in Washington DC, as part of his trip to the United States of America for the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Explaining the rationale for the introduction of the Free SHS policy, he noted that over the past five years, before the implementation of the policy, an average of 100,000 Ghanaian students were dropping out of school at Junior High School level, because their parents could not afford it.
“This obviously cannot the be level of education we dream of giving to our young generation, in order for them to compete in the labour and ideas generation market, that are excellently represented by continents such as Asia, America, Latin America, Europe, etc.,” he said.
The decision, therefore, to implement the Free SHS policy was a “big decision because of its effect on our finances”, adding that “I was particularly subjected to a lot of public ridicule.
‘The policy is a hoax’, ‘the bearer is a liar’, ‘it is undoable’, ‘we need more time’, ‘it’s not a good idea’, are just some phrases used to describe their reactions. But this, obviously, is the nature of our politics, so we understood”.
Double Track not strange
As a result of the increased numbers, the President noted that his Government has found a creative and innovative way of absorbing the high numbers, whilst, at the same time, putting in place a working plan to expand the existing infrastructure.
“I have always been encouraged by the attitude of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who took a decision on the grounds that empowerment of the young generation through education was very critical in nation building, even when there are challenges. He held the view that, even though there were challenges, there was the need to still introduce the policy (Accelerated Development Plan for Education),” he said.
The President continued, “I naturally ascribe to same school of thought that, there may few challenges, i.e. the high numbers with the introduction of Free SHS, and the high deficit in infrastructure at that level, nevertheless it is opening the gains for more young persons to have access. That's exactly what we have done by introducing the double track system.”
President Akufo-Addo insisted there is absolutely nothing unusual or strange about the double track system, since it has worked very well in many countries that have practiced it effectively.
To guarantee the success of the system, the President noted that over 8,000 more teachers are being recruited to cater for the shortfall in teaching personnel.
Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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Wisdom in the head of all knowing and noise maker Mr PIG . .Stop your promise and work to benefit your family and friends.
WISDOM DOES NOT LIE IN THE HEAD OF ONE PERSON. REVIEW DOESN'T MEAN COLLAPSE. IT MEANS THERE'S A WAY TO DO IT BETTER THAN WHAT YOU DID. SO PLEASE STOP YOUR WORRY. THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY FOR MANY HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE. EVERY GHANAIAN KNOW YOUR WAY OF DOING THINGS NOT GOOD. SO THERE ARE BETTER AND BEST WAYS OF IMPLEMENTING THE FREE SHS. NOT FREE FORM ONE
DEAR MR PRESIDENT PLS THE REVIEW IS VERY NECCESARY ,MAKE IT FREE DAY SHS WITH ON MEAL A DAY S0 THAT THOSE WHO CAN AFFORD CAN SEN THEIR WARDS TO THE BOARDING HOUSE EASE THE BURDEN ON THE GOVERNMENT A CONCERNED CITIZEN
I repeat here, the president is a big dog that is as ***barred word*** as a thrash, my family did not, ever stole from the government to take care of me unlike your silly president who's father was a CIA agent and stole from the government, and believe me as a software engineer in the UK I earn as mush as the president.
For the whole former President of Ghana to say 'Even NPP Supporters are Complaining About Hardship in Ghana' baffles me and it is silly. Why shouldn't they say so when, if indeed, there is a hardship in Ghana? Hardship has no party colors and doesn't differentiate by one's affiliation to a particular party, Christian domination, gender and tribe. Hence, it is neutral to these attributes. To have the mindset to make such a statement of a kind, coming from not a foot soldier of a political party but from a former President is very, very problematic. Please, note that expression or language externalizes our thoughts. As a former President, one expects a certain level of statesmanship and such a statement coming from a former President is below the belt. Just stay where you are now, enough is enough. Asem s€ b€!
It is about time the government set up an emergency line to call people phone based on their location esp closed to the coast or beaches ada, keta ,kole-gonno ,Winneba ,cape coast ,axim and set up alarm system to warn people in case of tsunami since time will not be on once side and the direction to heard.The education must be done once a month for the rest of life of Ghana.
YOU ARE CURSED.
NDC commentators are all silly ***barred word***. They can't think. The English they write tells everybody they are illiterates. How do you call a self-made man a dog when in your whole family, you don't have and will not have one in your whole generation. Your punishment is with the Creator. Because of politics. What would he have lost if he had not been into politics. You hungry dogs ate all the meat and left the bones for him. Now you call him a dog. Have you seen your ***barred word*** I t y. For using the name of holy ghost, you are already a cursed soul including your whole family and the your generations to come. I m b I c I l l e.
Firstly,I ask God to forgive you for the blaspheming the name(Holy Ghost) you've used in spewing this uncultured description of a man who's mere finger nails worth million times than the whole generation of your family put together.I doubt if you even have one(family).Because of politics, you have the ordercity to call a man who have gone through the ranks and file of life Mr...president?Ah!
YES MAHAMA WAS RIGHT WHEN HE SAID GHANAIANS HAVE SHORT MEMORY.BUT LET ME ASSURE MAHAMA I DON'T HAVE A SHORT MEMORY BECAUSE I REMEMBER VERY WELL HOW THE NDC COLLAPSED THE NHIS,EIGHT YEARS OF DOMSOR,AND ALL THE THIEVERYYYY THAT MARTIN AMIDU IS DELAYING IN BRINGING THOSE NDC RIFFRAFF'S TO BOOK.I PRAY THAT GHANAIANS WILL SEE THE LIGHT AND MAKE THESE NDC THIEVESSSS REDUNDANT.