Recommendations for the evaluation of the flagship Free SHS program have been rejected by The Minister for Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum.
Not a comprehensive review, but rather improvements in certain areas are needed for the policy, Dr. Adutwum claims.
Earlier, National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Dramani Mahama declared that, should he be elected in the general elections of 2024, he would review the Free SHS in its entirety within the first 100 days of office.
Speaking on Tuesday, November 7, 2023, at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in Accra, Mahama stressed the importance of a strong foundation in basic education.
He described his intention to put together a group of specialists in education to create a better framework for carrying out the Free SHS policy, which has been the mainstay of Ghana’s educational system.
Speaking in response to calls for a review of the Free SHS policy, Dr. Adutwum said that focused improvements rather than a review are what the program currently needs.
He emphasized the significance of focusing on teacher preparation, highlighting the need to suitably equip educators for successful instruction, which will ultimately lead to better learning outcomes.
Dr. Adutwum said “Anything that you do, there will be areas that need improvements. On improvements, we can look to train teachers and make sure that teachers are well prepared to teach for better learning outcomes….We just have to improve the learning outcomes and ensure that the investment is worth their while of Ghanaians so that they know that their taxpayers are being used to their benefit and we are bridging the gap between the rich and the poor.”
He said he thought a wide range of stakeholders should be involved in the review.
In a realted news, drawing attention to the government’s plans to overhaul the nation’s public education system and implement free second-cycle education, Dr. Yaw Adutwum urged Ghanaians to support the NPP in light of the party’s impressive record.
