I won’t reverse free SHS - President Akufo-Addo

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has made it clear that he will not under any circumstances reverse the free senior high school (SHS) policy.

He said those advocating a review were those who initially opposed it.

He explained that to the best of his knowledge, reviewing it meant reversing the policy.

The President disclosed this in an interview with the Nkawkaw-based Republic Radio 97.5 Fm in the Kwahu West Municipality in the Eastern Region last Friday to begin his three-day tour of the region.

According to Nana Akufo-Addo, reviewing the free SHS policy would deny a large number of prospective students of poor parentage as well as compromise the quality and access of the programme.

Quality and access

He said the implementation of the free SHS had brought about significant improvement in secondary education and that any attempt to review it would undermine the access and quality of the policy.

Nana Akufo-Addo added that areas of studies that had witnessed significant improvement were Mathematics, Integrated Science, English and Social Studies.

Quality education

Apart from that, he indicated that the policy had helped many prospective students to access quality education.

Reviewing the policy, Nana Akufo-Addo stated, meant compromising it.

Poor parentage

"The first people who opposed the free SHS policy are the same people calling for a review but on the whole the policy has improved secondary education and made it possible for students of poor parentage to access the quality and free SHS programme".

"I cannot accept the idea of reviewing the free SHS programme since that will deny more Ghanaians from accessing the programme", President Akufo-Addo stated.

He said although the pastors had good intentions about the policy, he was not against what they were calling for but he would like to know specifically the areas of the free SHS policy they (the pastors) would want to be reviewed.

Statistics on Illegal mining

On illegal mining, President Nana Akufo-Addo indicated that any Ghanaian apprehended for engaging in such activities would be jailed for 15 years to serve as a deterrent to others.

Later, the President inspected a number of projects in the area.

Projects inspected

They were the rehabilitation of the 35.50-km Nkawkaw - Noyem - New Abirem Road, the 33.20-km New Abirem - Ofoase Kuma Road; upgrading of 3.0-km Akoase Town Roads, Agenda 111 Ofoase Ayirebi projects at Akyem Asuboa and Asene Manso Akroso, Densu Ceramics (One-District One-Factory) at Boadua Akwatia and a new astro turf at Ofoase.

The President also paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Ofoase, Obrempong Dubin Nti II. He was highly elated about the President's visit and commended him for providing Ofoase with a new astro turf.

He said under the Akufo-Addo administration, the area had witnessed unprecedented infrastructural development such as classrooms and good roads.

Obrempong Nti, therefore, appealed to the President to construct a standard stadium for the area.

Writer's email: haruna.wunpini@graphic.com.gh