The first batch of beneficiaries of the Free SHS policy has commended the President for his foresight and the implementation of the policy.
A representative of the students, Ibrahim Fatima, expressed the group’s gratitude and joy for the policy and the opportunity for them to continue their education to the higher level.
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According to Fatima, the policy has relived their parents of the burden of paying high fees for their education which, in most cases, prevented them from continuing their education to the higher level.
She further stated that the policy has accorded them the opportunity to build their human relations and blend with other children from ‘rich families’, an opportunity that prior to the free SHS policy could only remain a dream.
“We are grateful to the government for the opportunity given us to continue our education, this is an opportunity and a golden one for that matter and we are going to make the very best out of it. We promise to make the President, the education minister and the entire government of Nana Addo proud, we will not let him down for this opportunity given us”, she said.
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According to the Northern Regional education Director, Alhaji Mohammed Haroon, the free SHS policy among many benefits has given room for equal education for every Ghanaian child irrespective of their background or the financial standing of their families.
He has to a larger extent, contributed to the improvement in the standards of education in the region and the country at large.
Chairman of Northern Regional Parent Teacher Association, Dr Amadu Issah Abudu, while commending Nana Addo government for the free SHS initiative asked parents to take advantage of the policy to ensure the education of their children.
According to him, education is the greatest and timeless legacy any parent can give their children, adding that the free SHS affords parents the opportunity to give the right legacy for their wards.
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Naa Yakubu Abdulai, the chief of Sagnarigu commended the government for the move to ensure the education of every Ghanaian child and also urged the Ghana Education Service, GES, to supervise quality teacher-student hours and ensure the falling standards of discipline among students is discontinued.
He further tasked the GES to monitor and supervise teachers, issuing the right punishment to offending teachers and students duly.E. Nana Akuffo-Addo, addressing the free SHS students, Chief of Sagnarigu and other members who were at the Tamale Senior High School (TAMASCO) campus said the free SHS policy has come to stay with the right funding.
He said the government will employ some 8,000 more teachers to be deployed to the various senior high schools across the country this year to complement the deficit of teachers for the policy.
He added that government was also adopting a new academic calendar.
This new calendar, known as the double tracking system, when fully adopted will increase teacher-student hours, class sizes, increase enrollment and number of holidays for the student.
