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| Otumfuo Osei Tutu II |
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, says the
government’s flagship programme, the Free Senior High School initiative, is
taking a huge toll on the national budget despite the country’s meagre
resources.
The Asantehene lamented not just the policy's
financial consequences, but also its potential influence on the country's
unemployment rate.
“Considering the value to the nation, this must be
one of the boldest policies of the nation but it also brings its challenges”,
Otumfuo stressed.
The Akufo-Addo administration has been pressed to
evaluate its signature Free SHS programme, which drains the country's resources
and jeopardises quality, despite the fact that access has vastly increased. But
the government appears adamant.
While addressing at a Memphis in May event at the
University of Memphis in the United States, the Asantehene addressed basic
problems about the programme, notably its effect on employment as more SHS
graduates leave the different second-cycle colleges.
“The current government has introduced free
education up to Senior High School, which now ensures that all Ghanaian
children from whatever background are guaranteed free education.”
“It [Free SHS] puts a huge strain on the national
budget and raises further the challenge about the creation of jobs for the
increasing number of graduates”, he added.
There have been proposals that the Free SHS
programme be revised to focus on those in true need rather than being designed
to benefit everyone.
To establish a level playing field for students
from all areas of life, certain Senior High Schools should be permitted to
charge tuition while others should be free.
“I believe strongly that we need to target people,
and the most appropriate way is by means-testing. Instead of making SHSs
free, why don’t we make some free and others payable”, says former
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey.
The scholar is worried about Ghana's Senior High
School curriculum, stating that secondary school is becoming "less and
less competitive."
He was concerned that this would jeopardise future social cohesiveness and impede national progress.
Source: ghananews.hrforum.uk
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