Sunday, 08 September

Free SHS bill: This gov’t is fixated on political gains-Educationist

Education
Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Education Minister

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Educate Africa Institute, Mr. William Boadi, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the government's tendency to politicize almost every issue in the country. He criticized the push to pass a bill supporting the implementation of the government’s flagship educational programme, Free Senior High School (Free SHS), stating that it has not reached the stage where legal backing is necessary.

Mr. Boadi emphasized that what the programme needs now is fine-tuning to benefit both the government and parents, which would make it sustainable in the long run.

He argued that the current issues in the education sector are a result of the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service failing to perform their duties effectively.

He described the push to give an unhealthy programme legal backing as primitive.

These concerns were raised during Mr. Boadi’s appearance on the Ghana Yensom morning show, hosted by Ofarigya Kaayire Kwesi Apea-Apreku on Accra 100.5 FM, on Wednesday, July 3, 2024.

He also commented on the government’s decision to cancel Junior High School and extend Senior Secondary School to six years, suggesting that Free SHS, in its current state, is unhealthy and requires improvement, not just legal support.

 

Furthermore, Mr. Boadi noted that if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had continued with the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) progressively free education initiative and the construction of community day schools, the double-track system would not have been necessary.

Source: Classfmonline.com/Cecil Mensah