The 1992 Constitution, Article 25 (1)(b) the framers of the Constitution proposed free secondary education. Since they envisaged wholesale implementation challenges, they suggested a progressive introduction of the FSHS. Progressive means moving from one stage to another or advancing towards the ultimate goal
After 23 years on coming into force of the 1992 Constitution, His Excellency John Dramani Mahama announced the implementation of this constitutional provision at Otuam during the commissioning of Atta Mills Community Senior High School. The then opposition leader, Nana Akuffo Addo, commented that it was good news.
The programme started with about 320,000 Day Students across the country in the 2015/2016 academic year. In the 2016/2017 academic year 120,000 students who were boarders from deprived communities were added to the programme excluding SHS students from the then 3 Northern Regions who were already on the Northern Scholarship Scheme bringing the total to about 2/3 of the number of students in SHS in this country.
Unfortunately, NDC lost the 2016 election and was unable to reach the ultimate goal for all students. Remember, at the same time, there was the aggressive expansion of infrastructure, both new community schools (E-blocks) and the rest of the existing SHS. All these projects were funded by GETFUND and a World Bank facility of $156m under the Secondary Education Improvement Programme (SEIP). Discard the notion that there were no earmarked funds for these projects.
In January 2017, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyeman, the then outgoing Minister for Education, left handover notes indicating the roadmap for the full implementation of the FSHS programme.
When NPP took over, they introduced their version of the Progressive FSHS. This time, they started with only the first-year Students in the 2017 /2018 academic year. The Forms 2 and 3 students continued to pay fees. The full implementation took them 3 years. Remember, NPP started from the same progressive free SHS as recommended by the Constitution, which was first implemented by H.E John Dramani Mahama.
Recently, Napo, the Running Mate of Dr Bawumia, at the launch of their Campaign Working Committee and Women’s Conference in Kumasi, said H.E. John Dramani Mahama’s call for review means cancellation of the FSHS programme. I was surprised to hear from him that review means cancellation. No wonder he could compare Nana Addo to Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Everyone in this country is aware of the implementation challenges of this programme, which are becoming unsurmountable to this government. NPP said the same to Mill/JDM when they promised Ghanaians that they would change the Mutual Health Insurance Scheme to a national scheme. With their mutual scheme, you could access Health Care only in the district/municipality you registered. NPP went out with the same propaganda that Mill said he would cancel health insurance when voted for.
The National Health Insurance you see today was the brainchild of NDC, where you can access health care everywhere in this country if only you are registered under the scheme. What H.E.
JDM is saying are as follows:
1. Every SHS will be given its money according to the number of students. Schools can make their purchases based on their needs. This will do away with middlemen, reduce costs, eliminate corruption, give a ready market to local farmers, and improve food quality and quantity.
2. Improve infrastructure to end the double track system, which is inimical to quality education. By bringing interested Private SHS on board to expand access. Again, to complete all abandoned educational projects, especially the E-blocks across the country, to provide additional access.
3. Address teachers’ promotions and early payments of their arrears. Incentives packages to teachers who accept postings to Rural Communities SHS
4. Provide teaching and learning materials to all SHS. For the past 7 years, all SHS in this country are all still using the core textbooks procured under the erstwhile Mahama’s administration. NPP has not procured a single textbook since it assumed office.
5. Uncapped Getfund and never again would it be collateralised so that funds are always available for all educational activities. Currently, NPP took $1.2 billion from the Chinese government and collateralised Getfund. Up until now, the NPP government has not been unable to account for this huge amount.
As a country, we demand audited accounts of the FSHS programme, which has been in arrears for 7 years. The Public Financial Management Act(2016)and PFM regulations 80(1).Which states that the Principal Officer of a covered entity (FSHS Secretariat)shall submit within two months after the end of each year prepare Accounts and submit to the Auditor General and Controller and Accountant General.
They can not do that because of the rot they find themselves. There is serious confusion about how much they have spent on the programme. I urge all Ghanaians everywhere to demand accountability. This rabble-rouser Napo must not be taken seriously at all. Free SHS is our programme, and we will make it better when JDM assumes power next year.
By: Hon Alex Kyeremeh
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