Free SHS Dragged To Supreme Court ...

The Progressive People's Party (PPP) is seeking constitutional interpretation and enforcement of Article 38 (2) of the 1992 Constitution which stipulates the implementation of a Free, Compulsory, and Universal Basic Education. The party says the period provided by the Constitution for the implementation has been long overdue. Per Article 38 (2), �The Government shall, within two years after Parliament first meets after the coming into force of this Constitution, draw up a programme for implementation within the following ten years, for the provision of free, compulsory and universal basic education�. The two main parties � governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) � have been at each others� throat over a free senior high school policy rather than the FCUBE programme. The fight followed President John Mahama�s recent announcement that his government will start implementing the free SHS programme. The NPP�s 2012 presidential Candidate Nana Akufo-Addo made the issue of free SHS the centre of his campaign in the last elections. His arch-rival, President Mahama and the NDC, at the time said quality education, rather than free SHS was the priority. However the PPP said neither the NPP nor the NDC can lay claim to popularising the policy. "For the record, it was the PPP that campaigned vigorously to implement Article 38 (2) of the 1992 Constitution. We stated in our political platform that the PPP will 'Ensure free and compulsory education in public schools from kindergarten to Senior High School (including computer training). We will deploy an Education Police to enforce the compulsory aspect of our policy'", the party said. It said: "Any attempt to play a political game with the future of our children will be resisted by the Progressive People�s Party."