‘Mahama’s free SHS is discriminatory’

Progressive People’s Party (PPP) has described the free SHS Policy being implemented by the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) as discriminatory.

According to the General Secretary of the party, Kofi Asamoah-Siaw, the policy in its current state discriminates against boarding students as it only caters for the tuition fee of day students.

The Mahama-led administration has begun the implementation of the free education policy as promised during the 2012 electioneering.

Over GHC4million Ghana Cedis has been released by the finance ministry to ensure a smooth takeoff of the programme.

The programme is expected to be rolled out in phases as government has said boarding students will be roped in with time.

But addressing party supporters in the Brong Ahafo region yesterday, Mr. Asamoah- Siaw said the programme must be reviewed in order to make it more meaningful and effective.

“How do you give people free SHS when they haven’t gone to primary school and they haven’t gone to JHS?

“Why do you now select few and say that because they are day students you are giving them free SHS?

“It is a selective policy, it is discriminatory and I think the only value placed on it is propaganda,” he said.

The Progressive People’s Party PPP) which has been campaigning for the implementation of the Free Compulsory Basic Education (FCUBE) last year filed a writ against at the Supreme Court in a bid to compel the government to enforce the free aspect of the FCUBE programme.

The party contended that successive governments had only between January 1993 and January 2005 to complete the roll out of the FCUBE as stipulated by the 1992 Constitution but have defaulted.

But the Supreme Court in May this year dismissed the FCUBE suit against government.