Claims made by Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), that the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program has experienced significant setbacks under the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration have been refuted by Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu.
In his speech at the NPP National Delegates Conference in Kumasi, Dr Bawumia slammed the programme’s execution, claiming it has gotten worse since the NDC administration took power.
Mr. Iddrisu, however, challenged the appraisal, claiming that the government had taken action to resolve the issues that were affecting the program and enhance its implementation.
The Education Minister said some of the issues that are now being fixed were passed down from the previous administration, in response to Dr. Bawumia’s statements.
“Dr. Bawumia needs to review his claim that the Free Senior High School is failing. Perhaps to remind him that it was failing under him and that we, as a government, needed to examine how the Free Senior High School was implemented,” he stated.
In addition, Mr. Iddrisu refuted allegations that students weren’t getting enough food, claiming the government had reconsidered the funding structure for meals under the Free SHS program.
The government had been able to improve senior high schools’ food supplies all around the nation as a result of the GETFund’s uncapping, according to him.
“John Dramani Mahama, the president, has examined the Free SHS and its meal financing method. Adequate food supplies have been provided to all senior high schools across the country, unlike in the previous eight years of the NPP administration, with the uncapping of the GETFund,” he added.
Dr. Bawumia’s claim that the NPP administration started free education under the Free SHS program was also rejected by the Education Minister.
He said that because tuition had always been free at all levels of government schooling in Ghana from independence, the former vice president’s claim misrepresented the history of educational funding in the nation.
“Tuition was free during the New Patriotic Party, according to Dr. Bawumia, which is also untrue. Tuition has been free at all educational levels in Ghana since independence and throughout history,” he stated.
The government is still dedicated to improving the implementation of Free SHS and addressing difficulties affecting pupils and institutions, according to Mr. Iddrisu.
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