Hon. Haruna Iddrisu; the education minister-designate has clarified that Prez. John Dramani Mahama has no plans to abolish the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy. The former minority leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) emphasized that Mahama is committed to improving and enhancing the program to ensure its sustainability and effectiveness, rather than canceling it.
Iddrisu explained that any changes proposed by Mahama would focus on addressing challenges within the current implementation framework, such as funding gaps and quality concerns, to make the policy more efficient and beneficial for all stakeholders. He assured Ghanaians that education remains a top priority and Mahama’s approach will aim to strengthen, not dismantle the Free SHS initiative.
Speaking during his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on January 20, announced the government’s intention to convene a stakeholder forum to gather insights and recommendations aimed at enhancing the education sector.
“Let me assure this committee that President John Dramani Mahama has no intention to cancel Free SHS. Therefore, those who listen to him, even during his campaign, will hear that he has stated that he will expand Free SHS.
“It was to inform Ghanaians that as President of the Republic, he wants to give 2 million to Article 25 of the 1992 Constitution and Article 38, which outlines the objectives of our educational policy.
“Chair, the important thing is that he will subject the Free SHS to a review.”
This statement seeks to dispel rumors and speculations suggesting that Mahama intends to scrap the program in his return to power. Instead, his goal is to build on the policy’s foundation, refining it to better serve the educational needs of Ghanaian students.
