Suspend Free SHS Bill - NAGRAT, Eduwatch tell govt

Two key stakeholders have called for the suspension of discussions on the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) Bill, which is set to be presented to Parliament.

The two groups argue that not enough consultations had been made in the drafting of the bill and thus does not reflect comprehensive work done on the draft.

The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) and a non-governmental organisation (NGO) on education, Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) are the two bodies that have added their voices to the call.

FSHS Bill

The Free Senior High School Bill, 2024, drafted by the Ministry of Education (MoE), is to give legal backing to the provision of free and compulsory education at the senior high school level.

A key campaign promise during the 2016 general election, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo introduced and implemented the policy after assuming office in 2017.

NAGRAT

At a press conference in Accra, the President of NAGRAT, Angel Carbonu, argued that the bill, among other issues, had not gone through sufficient consultation with relevant stakeholders.

He stressed the importance of broader stakeholder engagement, saying the bill should go through consultation before it was reconsidered in the next Parliament.

"When you hear the title 'Free Senior High School Education', you might assume it addresses the cost of Free SHS, but there are issues in this document that go far beyond just the government's provision of Free Senior High School education," Mr Carbonu explained.

Morally wrong

The NAGRAT President also raised concerns about Parliament passing laws during its final sittings, describing it as "morally wrong".

He suggested that the current Parliament should allow the incoming one to review the bill, enabling a more thoughtful and in-depth discussion with stakeholders before it was passed into law.

Additionally, Mr Carbonu called for a more targeted approach to the future implementation of President-elect John Mahama’s tuition-free proposal for first-year university students, given the financial constraints facing the country. "Money is not available in our country, and we need to spend it prudently," he concluded.

Eduwatch

Also, education think tank, Africa Education Watch (EduWatch), has called on Parliament to delay the introduction of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) Bill until comprehensive consultations are held with key stakeholders.

It expressed concern over the government’s plan to present the Bill in Parliament, stating that the process lacks the necessary stakeholder engagement.

In a statement, EduWatch emphasised the importance of inclusivity and transparency in formulating policies that affected Ghana’s education system.

The group has urged the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, to facilitate discussions with stakeholders, including education experts, civil society organisations, and parent-teacher associations, to ensure that the Bill reflects a broad consensus.

EduWatch stressed that such consultations were vital for addressing potential gaps in the policy and fostering national support for the Free SHS initiative.

“We call on Parliament to defer deliberations on the Bill until consultations are held. In the spirit of inclusive policy governance, we urge the Minister of Education to convene stakeholder consultative meetings and engage education civil society organisations, development partners, parents and teachers, on the Bill,” it emphasised.