Former Deputy Minister of Education, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has said the previous National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration commenced the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme.
Therefore, assertions by communicators and officials of the Akufo-Addo-led administration that it is the current government that is introducing the programme is wrong.
Government has announced that the Free SHS programme will start in September with the first year students in all the high schools in the country.
Addressing the press on Monday, September 4 Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, called on parents not to pay any fees demanded by heads of senior high schools since the government is taking care of all such expenses.
“Students are not supposed to pay any fees,” he said, adding, “As a matter of fact, PTA-levied fees like utilities, development levy, and even teacher motivation is going to be paid by the government, as a result, we’ve made it abundantly clear to headmasters that money should not be the reason why a student should not go to school. Therefore no parent should receive a bill.”
Dr Adutwum added: “Even if PTA meets and decides in consultation with GES that there is something they want to do and they want parents to contribute, it will not be mandatory. If Mr Kojo Mensah doesn’t have money to make that contribution for his ward, the student will not be prevented from going to school.”
But speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen programme on Monday, September 4, Mr Ablakwa said: “I think the NDC as a party we need to improve on our communication strategy. Free SHS is not starting in Ghana on the 11th of September this year, it is not President Akufo-Addo who is starting free SHS and many people don’t know this.
“Free SHS was started in the year 2014, three years ago. The NDC under [former] President Mahama started free SHS.
“We had a loan facility from the World Bank under the Secondary Education Improvement Programme. Under this there were four components; the first was to build the 23 senior high schools, the second component is the training we provided for Maths, Science and ICT teachers, and there was a third component called Quality Improvement Facility upgrade, and the fourth categorically was the scholarships for needy senor high school students.
“The agreement we signed with the World Bank for the next five years at that time – 2014 to 2019 – was on granting scholarships, and implementing free SHS for 10,400 students.”
Source: Classfmonline
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1. Anything free is not quality - Samuel Okudjato on 14th July 2012. 2. Ghana don't need Free SHS now- Asiedu Nketia on 18th Feb 2012 3. Free SHS can only be achieved in 20yrs to come - Lee Ocran on 21st Nov 2012 4. Nana Addo can never implement Free SHS, he is deceiving Ghanaians - Mutarla Mohammed on 15th Oct 2012 5. Where is Nana Addo going to get the money from - Kwesi Pratt on 31st july 2012. 6. Nana don't understand the term Free SHS and don't even know the cost - Felix Kwakye on 3rd July 2012. 7. We need quality education now and not Free SHS - John Mahama on 29th Nov 2012. 8. we need jobs not Free SHS - Peter Otukornor on 3rd June 12 9. Free SHS is a scam and sham - Dr. Omane Boamah on 1st June 2012 10. We don't need Free SHS, free SHS is azaar, free SHS is 419, 419 - Chorkor, Teshie, Odododiodio ,Bukum and Nungua residents screamed in 2012. Still........The Battle Continues To Be The Lord's.... Amen NDC party is made up of evil nation wreckers WHO ARE ALWAYS AGAINST EVERY GOOD SOCIAL POLICY FOR GHANAIANS. THEY ARE ALWAYS ONLY INTERESTING IN COMING TO POWER TO STEAL OUR MONEY TO ENRICH THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILY &
See his teeth like pliers....phoooolish boy.albino baby with sharp teeth,ndc started what? Very soon they will say ndc created the world...
It is only some category of Ghanaians you can deceive ooo. Some of us are too intelligent to be misled by someone like Ablakwa Samuel.
FUULIISH GUY.
happenings in Ghana is such as if there is no wise elder or leader in our educational sector, at least cant prof AGYEKUM be consulted to assist with a team of experts to make it shi.t of computer placement a better one. its annoying to hear how kids are been punished in getting to school. look, i think the computer placement must be cancelled, once there is free SHS in the country, i think no or only few people will pay bribe to head teachers. (1) allow the kids to choose their schools like in the old days, (2) each school gives its admission grade point A1 - C6 etc (3) the schools finish the MOE & GES the number of people it can admit, (4)WAEC or the school then finish the ministry with each candidate, index number and school chosen, (5) the MOE/GES then even if a child is to pay at least Gh2, publishes each kid and school chosen in the national dailies or SMS sent to parent confirming that, you kid chose this school with name, index etc , this will let the MOE know if say, prempeh can admit 200 freshers, how many chose prempeh, now say 480 people chose prempeh, if the results are in, prempeh admits its 200 and the remaining are then to be placed by that evi.l computer bcx to this point, there is no option or sympathy. this will even make kids learn to get admission in their first schools. i remember in my days i chose OWASS, KUHIS & KASS, i was learning like somr=ething knowing the task ahead of me to get admission, ma parents asked and i told the i can meet those school, thank God i got it. again, if there is policy, dont let us be like angels to be perfect, lets work to perfection and if there are lapses,we make room to correct it, look at placement 3 days before school reopens, is it sensi.ble?, cant it be about 3 weeks to reopen so if there is any error, at least we can correct it so when every school reopens, there is only cchop box and trunck as NANA will pay fees etc for the kids, its good to have freeSHSbut must come with matured minds not only to admit few to pay for them. at least we can bring some sanity in there, WHAT the computer placement is to do is to avoid heads taking bribe from kids or parents but if we recollect, the errors of the computer placement is more than what was wrong at old for correction or making it better, we must avoid politics in our education, health, religion, economy, security and must show real leadership instead, we can do that ***barred word*** thing called politics in tourism, sports, entertainment even eating but for the vital ones de3, i beg let there be leadership and maturity
What is this boy also saying. Wait till you are investigated. Where did you get money to build your mansion by the river side at Bator. You better shut up for your time is coming soon.
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Yoo yati 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾. These boys will never learn
Who does this ***barred word*** boy Ablakwa think he is. What does he take us for. Isn't this the same NDC who said the free shs was not possible. Is he now trying to tell us that they were talking from both sides of their mouth. They NDC are a bunch of serial liars and until they change will stay in opposition till the kingdom come. ***barred word*** people. ***barred word*** Ablakwa,
the free education was proposed by our colonial masters when takoradi harbour was being constructed,later i will explain and was implemented by kwame ( grumah) not nkrumah