Free SHS: Those who can reasonably afford aspects should be made to pay – Asare

Executive Director of the Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, wants parents who can afford aspects of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme should be made to pay.

In his view, the government needs to be supported by the parents who can afford it.

“I believe that a way to fashion out an approach where those who reasonably should be able to afford some aspects of the Free Senior High School policy should support the government,” Kofi Asare said while speaking at the TV3 National Level Dialogue on the theme “Free SHS in perspective: The problems, Progress and Prospects” on Wednesday, August 23.

For his part, Former Rector of the Ghana Institue of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA) Professor Stephen Adei said that the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme has not produced low-quality students than when the policy did not exist.

Prof Adei indicated that failure among students at the Senior High School level is a foundational problem traceable to the primary school level.

Speaking at the same forum, he said “It is statistically proven that free SHS has not produced lower quality students than when there was no free SHS.

“About forty to fifty percent of our students fail at the SHS which has nothing to do with Free SHS. It has to do with the foundation in terms of primary school.

“The World Bank describes primary schools in Ghana as schooling without learning.”

Professor Stephen Adei further said that he is an avid supporter of the Free Senior High School programme.

As a beneficiary of free education during the Nkrumah era, he said, every Ghanaian should be able to access education up to the high school level.

He said “I am an avid supporter of Free SHS. Every child in Ghana must have access to education up to the high school level and not be constrained because their parents cannot affairs.”

He added “The Free SHS will be one of the greatest legacies of His Excellency the President. There is no rational Ghanaian who will want to scrap the policy of free SHS.”

He further said that the policy is good and must be made better so that no child is left behind.

Prof Adei also indicated that persons calling for a review of the free should not be seen as enemies of the regime.

“Free SHS requires quality community schools,” he added.