The education minister, Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, has said that the free Senior High School (SHS) policy, which the Nana Akufo-Addo administration plans to start implementing from September 2017, is giving him sleepless nights.
He told Accra-based Asempa FM that he will only start enjoying sleep after the programme is successfully implemented.
“I need to ensure it is rolled out successfully,” he said.
The minister had earlier been quoted by Accra-based Joy FM as saying that the programme’s implementation will not be smooth and easy.
He, however, reiterated the government’s commitment to following through with the programme, stressing that in addition to tuition fee which was already free, free SHS would cover admission fees, library fees, science centre fees, computer lab fees, examination fees and utility fees.
Free SHS will also cover agricultural, vocational and technical institutions at the high school level. I also want to state clearly again that we have a well-thought-out plan that involves the building of new public Senior High Schools and cluster public Senior High Schools,” he said.
Free SHS has been a divisive issue among Ghanaians. While some feel the programme will help improve education access in the country, with poor students, especially, benefiting, others have expressed fear that the programme could lead to a reduction in the quality of education at the SHS level.
The finance ministry has said that GHC400 million will be budgeted for free SHS this year.
