Alexander Afenyo Markin, majority leader of Ghana’s eighth parliament has sought clarification from the NDC minority caucus on their stand on the Free SHS Policy bill.
His demands according to him, is based on several statements made by the NDC minority through their ranking on parliament’s Education Committee;Peter Kwasi Nortsu-Kotoe, MP for Akatsi strongly opposing the Free SHS bill
“clearly the NDC minority does not want to commit itself to Free SHS Policy Bill and the fact that we want to enact a law to make it mandatory”he lamented
However, Afenyo reiterated that his government have stated without number that those provisions in the constitution that talks about Free SHS are very aspirational,hence the way to go is to enact a law to regulate the policy which is currently operation.
He hence called on the NDC minority to come out and categorically stated if the Policy is not part of their priorities as a responsible Opposition.
“The NDC is opposed to this, and they have spoken through their ranking, so we want them to tell Ghanaians, whether Free SHS is not their Priorities as a responsible opposition ”he quizzes
BACKGROUND
The bill according to government is a significant step to formalise and sustain the Free SHS policy, which has been a major initiative of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration since its inception in 2017.
The policy aims to provide free education at the senior high school level for all Ghanaian children, which has significantly increased enrollment and educational opportunities.
In the 2024 budget, the government allocated GH¢3.9 billion to support this programme, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining and enhancing the quality of education provided under this initiative.
The presentation of the bill therefore to Parliament is a crucial move to ensure the policy’s longevity and institutionalisation, making it a permanent feature of Ghana’s educational system.
This legislative action is expected to provide a more stable framework for funding and implementing the policy, addressing any challenges that have arisen since its implementation .
However, according to Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, Ranking Member on Parliament’s Education Committee, on couple of interviews, the bill is an unnecessary move by the government.
He questioned the necessity of a law to regulate or entrench the Free SHS programme, citing the absence of an official policy document on free SHS despite requests made to both the previous and current education ministers over the past seven to eight years.
He suggested that the current government’s implementation of the Free SHS policy aligns with public expectations, implying that additional legal protections are superfluous.
By: Mary Quartey