Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, firmly rejected calls for the review of the Free SHS policy during an interview on the Citi Breakfast Show on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.
While acknowledging that the policy has faced criticism, Dr. Adutwum emphasized that it requires improvements in specific areas rather than a complete review.
Former President John Dramani Mahama, on his national tour, reiterated his commitment to reviewing the policy if elected president in the 2024 elections.
He proposed convening stakeholders in the education sector within the first 100 days of his government to scrutinize both the Free SHS policy and the broader education sector.
Addressing questions regarding the potential review of Free SHS, Education Minister Adutwum stated that the policy, in its current form, does not necessitate a review but rather targeted improvements.
He highlighted the need to focus on training teachers to ensure they are well-prepared for effective teaching, ultimately leading to better learning outcomes.
“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.”
When questioned about the possibility of parents paying for boarding while day education remains free, Dr. Adutwum firmly responded in the negative, stating, “No…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.”
