A flagbearer hopeful of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Alban Bagbin, has predicted that the government’s flagship social intervention program, Free Senior High School, will collapse by its third year.
According to him, the program, although laudable, will collapse if the government fails to take into consideration the suggestions of stakeholders on how to ensure its success. Speaking to Citi TV’s Face to Face program, the Nadowli Kaleo Member of Parliament said, “it is actually not Free Senior High School, it is Free first year, the second and third year is not free. In the second year [of the program] we will be able to judge…. By the time we get to the third year we’ve collapsed. If they don’t do anything about it, three-year stream, and this government will be on its knees.”
The government has adopted the double-track system to cater for increased enrollment to sustain the program due to a deficit in infrastructure.
This move has been criticized by many Ghanaians with former President Mahama cautioning the government to consult instead of a hasty implementation. But President Akufo-Addo has stated that the double track system will be implemented this year without compromise in September.
President Nana Akufo-Addo has defended his administration’s decision to roll out a multi-track intake system for Senior High Schools beginning this in September.
According to him, his critics will be put to shame when the system is finally rolled out successfully in September.
Speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of Wa on his final leg of the Regional tour, President Akufo-Addo said;
“I am sure that in two or three years, the comments made by the representatives of the teachers about the quality of examination passes will be a thing of the past. So I want you to support this dual intake system as being a very efficient way of dealing with this large class thing.”
The new system is expected to cost GH₵323 million to implement fully.
GH₵267.2 million of this amount will go into teaching costs and GH₵55.8 million for academic interventions.
Without the double-track system, the government will require GH₵1.3 billion to accommodate the increase in numbers.
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), has said the expected compensation for partaking in the Dual Intake System for secondary education is not enough.
“The government has indicated that each student will pay GHc50 or the price per student on the additional workload will be GH₵50 per semester that the children will be in school. But when you do this; when you break it down, you realize that this is actually no money. [Whether] monthly or daily, you see that it is no money” Angel Carbonu, NAGRAT’s President, told Citi News.
Source: citinewsroom.com
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The NDC WILL NOT be there to collapse Free SHS. Naysayers in Ghana, are full in NDC. You enjoyed free SHS and now an MP and former minister with huge salaries. Had it not been free SHS for you, where will you have been now? Ghana will NEVER vote for NDC to destroy the poor man's program introduced by NPP. NEVER!
You went to schoo for free, wasted millions of dollars on the Ghana ambulance system and above all tool double salary
Bagbin led the NDC to boycott the debate on National Health Insurance in parliament. I hope none of his family members or people of his constituency have ever used the National Health system since then. Such a person wants to be president. Anyway, he has to sing the chorus of his party. No to Health Insurance, No to Ghana Card, No to Free SHS, No to 1D 1F, No to village dams, No to new EC Chairperson, No to America Deal, No to Agric Development, No to Ghana Budget, NO to everything from the ruling government. What a SHAME!
This Bagbin guy has received ex-gratia as an MP or minister for 6 times.... He will be getting another one in 2020.... No wonder he is aware the free SHS will collapse. His 6 ex-gratria payments and double salary payments can sponsor about 100 students for a year under the free SHS....... NDC is a cr!m!nal gang of thifs parading themselves as politicians.......
Professor of doom what is your suggestion? Your prediction shall fall upon your head.
NDC Presidential material? Laughable. I pity people who support NDC
***barred word*** ***barred word***. you benefit from free. ***barred word***
Bring your suggestions. What else can be done to absorb the 100,000 kids who will be sitting at home? Tell us, and stop predicting doom.
We the poor Ghanaian will pray for its sustenance.You are not God. The free SHS policy is not for the rich but for the poor who cannot afford the high school fees which your NDC government was charging. If you think you are rich and can pay school fees for your ward send them to private schools and leave the government to implement this all important masses oriented policy.
LOOK AT THIS MAN WHO WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT. A PROPHET OF DOOM. HE DOES NOT WANT ANYTHING GOOD FOR GHANA, AND HE WANTS TO BE PRESENT. NOT AT ALL IN GHANA