Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has rejected former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia’s claims that Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) programme is facing serious challenges.
Speaking about comments attributed to Dr Bawumia at the NPP’s national delegates conference in Kumasi, Haruna said the former vice president may have been misinformed about the current state of the programme.
“Over the weekend, the New Patriotic Party leadership were in Kumasi for the election of its national leaders… Significant at that forum were comments attributed to the flagbearer and presidential candidate of the New Patriotic Party, to which when he said that the Free Senior High School is suffering,” he said.
Haruna acknowledged that the programme faced difficulties under the previous administration but said the current government had taken steps to address them, particularly issues surrounding feeding.
“I don't want to believe that the Free Senior High School did not suffer in the last decade or eight years, and that every qualified BECE student got admission to a secondary school of his or her choice. That practically was impossible, and therefore Dr Mahamudu Bawumia must come again when he says that the Free Senior High School is suffering.”
“Maybe to remind him, it was suffering under him and required us [NDC] as a government to review the implementation of the free senior high school,” he said.
Haruna also disputed claims that students were not receiving meals under the programme.
“Also attributable to him was that he says that students have no meals. That is economically begging the truth,” he added.
According to the minister, the government has changed the funding arrangements for Free SHS and improved food supplies to schools.
“President John Dramani Mahama has repealed the Free Senior High School, and this funding mechanism for feeding, with the uncapping of the debt fund. Adequate food supplies have been made available to all senior high schools across the country, unlike it was in the last 8 years of the NPP administration.”
He said parents and students could verify the government’s claims based on available evidence.
Haruna also challenged Dr Bawumia’s claim that the NPP made tuition free, arguing that tuition has been free at all levels of education in Ghana since independence.
“When Dr Bawumia said that tuition was free under the New Patriotic Party, that is also begging the issue. Throughout history, and since independence, tuition has remained free at all levels of education in Ghana. That is a fact, and that is evidence. Maybe he was probably talking about living in another country and not in Ghana he seeks to lead,” he concluded.
