Free SHS, an ambitious human resource policy intervention - Amakye-Boateng

Dr. AKwasi Amakye-Boateng, a Senior Lecturer at the Political Science Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, says the government’s free senior high school policy is the most ambitious strategy to improve the country’s human resource base.

He said although its implementation came with a huge financial outlay from the national purse, it was the boldest decision ever made by any government to help advance the skills and knowledge of teenagers to tap their potential as future nation builders.

Addressing a career fair for final year students of the Juaben Senior High School over weekend, Dr. Amakye-Boateng, stressed the need for the beneficiaries of the free secondary education to learn hard and climb higher on the academic ladder to justify the huge investment.

The fair, held on the theme “Life after SHS and the road to the Top”, was organized by the 2001 Year Group of the Juaben Old Students Association.

The aim was to whip up the enthusiasm of the new school leavers to be able to aspire for higher heights in their academic pursuits, in spite of the challenges that may impede their struggle to the top.

Dr. Amakye-Boakye, stressed the need for concerted efforts to address some of the challenges brought on by the implementation of the policy to ensure its sustainability.

He advised the students to manage well their resources, such as time, values, energies and others whiles also maintaining discipline, which would enable them achieve their set goals.

“You should also plan well and commit yourselves to hard work, moral uprightness and humility in the face of the challenges, in order to remain relevant to society and country’, he added.

Mr. Kennedy Kwaku Antwi, the Organizer of the 2001 Year Group of Alumni Association, said the event, apart from exposing the students to the realities of life after SHS, was also meant to sensitize them on the options that existed in the academic, entrepreneurial and other sectors of the economy.

“This would help you make informed decisions on their future progress in life”, he stated.

Mr. Antwi, who is a Financial Advisor and Manager at the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, urged the students to develop the attitude of savings, especially, during their working life, to help reduce the stress that came with financial difficulties.

Mr. Dansaba Jamal Omar, an Entrepreneur and chairman of the year group, also urged the students not to consider themselves as failures if they could not advance their education to the tertiary level after SHS as they could learn other technical, vocational and entrepreneurial skills to make them self- employed and own businesses.

Mrs. Josephine Mensah Opuni-Boachie, the Headmistress of the school commended the Old Students for enlightening the students.

She called for support from all stakeholders in the school to address some of the challenges such as inadequate staff bungalows, assembly hall and other facilities, to improve teaching and learning.

Some teachers and students were rewarded for their hard work and outstanding academic performance.