Former President John Mahama has restated his commitment to tackling the challenges facing the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy. During a rally in Binduri as part of the initial phase of his 2024 election campaign tour of the Upper East Region, he emphasized his position that the policy will not be scrapped. However, he pledged to enhance the implementation in order to raise the quality and standards of education.
“If anybody tells you JM is coming to scrap free SHS, that person is a big liar. JM is coming to improve the implementation of the Free SHS, the free SHS has come to stay but we are coming to make it a quality free SHS,” he stressed. To this end, the 2024 election Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) stated that he would invest in completing abandoned school projects and expanding existing ones to create the needed infrastructure for the policy to thrive.
The move, he said, would help to remove the double track system and improve contact hours in schools. “…I wish to assure you that when we come, we are going to invest and finish all the abandoned E-Blocks…we are also going to expand the facilities in the existing schools so we can create access to Ghanaian children.
“We are doing this to stop the double track system as soon as possible because we cannot afford the situation where our children come home and stay home for three to four months before they go back to school.,” he added. To address the irregular food supply to second cycle schools menace, the former President noted that head teachers of the various schools would be allowed to procure food for their schools instead of relying on the national buffer stock.
This, he said, would ensure that quality and healthy food were served to the students while boosting the local economies of those communities. The former President further promised to create job opportunities for young people when elected to power.
He asked the electorates to vote for him and his parliamentary candidates to ensure he had a majority in parliament as president to enable him to turn the fortunes of the economy.
The former President was accompanied by Professor Joshua Alabi, his National Campaign, Mr Cletus Avoka, Member of Parliament for Zebilla, Mr Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central, Mr Issifu Mahoud, Parliamentary candidate for Binduri, Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, his Spokesperson and other party executives.
Source: GNA