Free SHS: Governance is about planning and common sense – Mahama

Former President John Mahama has criticized the Akufo-Addo government over the implementation of Free SHS policy.

According to him, though the Policy is good its implementation has been poor hence the many challenges bedevilling it which could have been avoided.

He said governance is about “planning and common sense” hence government should have provided the infrastructure to accommodate the anticipated exponential students population.

“Governance is about Planning and Common Sense. so you have to know that a free education will lead to increase in enrolment. So what the NDC planned to do was to construct 200 Community Day Schools so that when the Free SHS is implemented we get enough Schools to accommodate them. For the beginning, we awarded 123 on contract by the time we were leaving government 73 were ready. It was left with furnishing.”

He added that “meanwhile, when they [NPP] came to power they decided to implement the Policy without building a dining hall, classroom block, dormitory. The Community Day SHSs too have been abandoned so the free SHS has become a traffic light. We have students on green yellow and red tracks.”

The former president made the comments when he addressed NDC delegates at Akyem Tafo in Abuakwa North on the second day of his campaign in the Eastern region.

Mr. Mahama reassured that, the NDC will review the Free SHS Policy to deliver quality education.

He said, the next NDC government will complete the 200 community Day Schools and abolish the double track system.