Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has rejected claims by New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia that the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme has suffered significant setbacks under the current National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration.

Dr Bawumia, speaking at the NPP’s National Delegates Conference in Kumasi, criticised the implementation of the programme and argued that it had deteriorated since the NDC government assumed office.

Mr Iddrisu, however, disputed the assessment, saying the government had taken steps to address challenges affecting the programme and improve its implementation.

Responding to Dr Bawumia’s comments, the Education Minister said some of the challenges confronting Free SHS were inherited from the previous administration.

“Doctor Bawumia must come again when he says that the Free Senior High School is suffering. Maybe to remind him that it was suffering under him and that required us as a government to review the implementation of the Free Senior High School,” he said.

Mr Iddrisu also rejected claims that students were not receiving adequate meals, saying the government had reviewed the funding mechanism for feeding under the Free SHS programme.

He said the uncapping of the GETFund had enabled the government to improve food supplies to senior high schools across the country.

“President John Dramani Mahama has reviewed the Free SHS and its funding mechanism for feeding. With the uncapping of the GETFund, adequate food supplies have been made available to all senior high schools across the country unlike it was in the last eight years of the NPP administration,” he said.

The Education Minister further disputed Dr Bawumia’s assertion that the NPP administration introduced free tuition under the Free SHS programme.

According to Mr Iddrisu, tuition has historically been free at all levels of public education in Ghana since independence, arguing that Dr Bawumia’s claim misrepresented the history of education financing in the country.

“When Dr Bawumia says that tuition was free under the New Patriotic Party, that is also not true. Throughout history and since independence, tuition has remained free at all levels of education in Ghana,” he said.

Mr Iddrisu maintained that the government remained committed to improving the implementation of Free SHS and addressing challenges affecting students and schools.