A former Health Minister, Alexander Segbefia, has reiterated the importance of reviewing the government’s Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
Discussing the sustainability of Free SHS on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Mr Segbefia said while the policy itself is a beneficial social intervention, it needs to be evaluated to ensure its effectiveness.
He critiqued the governing New Patriotic Party's (NPP) proposed Free SHS Bill, noting that it aims to entrench the policy rather than address its associated issues.
“The Free SHS policy should be reviewable. So if the NPP is bringing a Free SHS Bill that will be looking at these issues and addressing them, which a policy document can do anyway, then it makes sense.
“But it seems the Bill is to protect the Free SHS policy which makes no sense. And that is where the NDC [National Democratic Congress] or minority has a problem,” he said on Thursday.
Mr Segbefia also accused the NPP of political mischief.
In his view, the governing party is misleading the public by implying that opponents of the Bill want to scrap the Free SHS policy.
“Nobody has ever said that the Free SHS is a bad thing. As for the review, it is necessary and even the IMF has made it part of the programme that government should look at the Free SHS policy.
“Nobody has said scrap, review is review,” he stressed.
The politician further highlighted that the first call for a review of the Free SHS policy came from within the NPP through itself former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
He cited Mr Ofori-Atta’s comment that the policy should be targeted at persons with genuine needs and not made to benefit everyone.
“He looked at the books and made it abundantly clear that it is not in the country's interest that there is no payment scheme that can help the course,” he stated.
The Free SHS programme was a major campaign promise by then-Presidential candidate Nana Akufo-Addo in 2016, which has subsequently become an essential part of the educational system after it was launched in 2017.
Latest Stories
-
Message from the Morning Man: No Choice
10 mins -
Jospong Group and ISSER forge partnership to strengthen social and economic research in Ghana
10 mins -
Food service establishments to apply for advertisement approval from FDA
11 mins -
Tracey Grey releases new song ‘Dangerous’
15 mins -
McDan Group CEO unveils vision for African Logistics Transformation at CILT conference
21 mins -
CAF Awards 2024: No Kudus and Victor Boniface as full list of nominees revealed
28 mins -
AfESC partners with UESD for environmental research collaboration
35 mins -
James Gardener and I are good friends – Benedicta Gafah denies dating rumours
45 mins -
UN@79: Ghana calls for peaceful settlement to ongoing conflicts around the world
48 mins -
Volta Regional Health Director calls for enhanced sub-district healthcare at GPAA’s 21st Annual Conference
53 mins -
Deputy Tano North Chief Imam urges stakeholders to cooperate with EC for successful Election 2024
58 mins -
Independent presidential candidate proposes new economic development model for Ghana
1 hour -
Greater Accra House of Chiefs elects Nungua Mantse as new President
1 hour -
Bank of Ghana hosts high-level Fintech networking event in Washington DC
1 hour -
Cholera outbreak claims two lives in Ada
1 hour