The Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, has told civil societies to safeguard the Free Senior High School (SHS) program at all cost to make it relevant in the future.

According to her, the program should be protected from any interference, to ensure that it continues to provide valuable opportunities for the youth and contributes to the overall development of the country.

Akosua Frema Osei-Opare said this at the launch of the FemPower Outreach and Scholarship scheme by the Power Queens, the women's wing of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), in Accra.

The Chief of Staff noted that the Free SHS program provides equal opportunities for students from all backgrounds, irrespective of financial status, to access quality education.

“I think civil societies should be stronger in strengthening the free SHS and make sure that it is never derailed by any barrier. This is because there are calls for people on some people being able to pay and others not being able to pay, that is not the issue. A country has to ensure that it is not about the rich and the poor but it is about opportunities for all. The opportunity will make the firm power program work.

“Because there will be more women to choose from. There will be more women from not just Accra and Kumasi but there will be women from villages who otherwise would never have the opportunity but have talents but it's just that they haven't had the opportunity. Now that they have free education, they can now have access to all these opportunities,” she said.

She continued: “I am just saying that the media and the other civil societies, let's all ensure that something that is so good for the country, is protected. Nobody should be allowed to temper with free SHS, because it is a good opportunity, and it enhances what we are doing.”

In the 2017/2018 academic year, the government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Education, began the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy to fully absorb the cost, increase enrolment, and improve the quality of education for all public senior high schools in Ghana.

Even though the program has increased the number of intake into the second cycle institutions in Ghana, the policy continues to face public criticism.

The former President John Mahama has promised that the new NDC government will bring some reforms into the program within the first 100 days in office.

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