A Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Dr. Clemebt Apaak, has thrown salvos at President Akufo-Addo for the latter’s comments on the free Senior High Policy.
The President speaking at the 2024 Ghana Bar Association’s conference asked those who felt they could afford the free SHS and wanted to pay or felt the what was being delivered was not the best to send their children to private senior schools.
Speaking at the Annual Ghana Bar Association Conference in Kumasi on Monday, September 9, 2024, President Akufo-Addo asserted that the policy has benefitted many underprivileged students and increased the number of enrolments in secondary schools.
He said people who can afford to pay fees for the education of their ward should send them to fee-paying private schools.
“Public schools, schools funded by the taxpayer, should be free to all who would otherwise be unable to pay for their education. That is why the numbers of people who have access to second-cycle education have doubled since the introduction of free senior high school policy,” he said.
Dr. Clement Apaak, serving as the 2024 campaign spokesperson on education for the John Dramani Mahama campaign, addressed the president’s remarks, deeming them regrettable.
He said the comments by the president feel frustrated because parents were not clapping as he expected so he could use that as a political tool.
He declared that parents and their children have become aware of the policy’s shortcomings and are disappointed in the president and his administration for their failure to adequately administer the policy.
In a statement, the Builsa South MP said it was not possible for parents to have commended his government for the shambolic implementation of otherwise a good policy.
He wrote, “In fact, Akufo-Addo should stop acting as if he is the originator of the FSHS concept and is using his personal resources to fund the program.” He is not the originator of FSHS, and neither is he using his own money to fund it.
The policy is funded with our oil money and taxes. Parents are tax payers and have every right not to be impressed with the implementation challenges he has failed to resolve.”
Additionally, he highlighted the inadequate and unwholesome food served to students in our schools as some of the issues affecting the policy that require attention.
Read the statement below
Obviously, Akufo-Addo is frustrated because parents are not clapping for him, and he knows his party will no longer get any political benefit from both parents and students for the disappointing implementation of the FSHS policy.
Why should parents applaud him for the shambolic implementation of an otherwise good policy? Did he expect parents to be quiet in the face of the numerous implementation challenges he has failed to fix?
In fact, Akufo-Addo should stop acting as if he is the originator of the FSHS concept and is using his personal resources to fund the programme. He is not the originator of FSHS, and neither is he using his own money to fund it.
The policy is funded with our oil money and taxes. Parents are tax payers, and have every right not to be impressed with the implementation challenges he has failed to resolve.
Our children are fed inadequate, poor quality, and sometimes unwholesome food, and he expects parents to clap for him? Students stay at home for 3 months and in school for less than 2 months, and he wants parents to be impressed?
Source: rainbowradioonline.com
