Abraham Attah's appointment as Free SHS ambassador wrong - NUGS

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) has given government one-week to clarify the criteria used in selecting Abraham Attah as ambassador for government’s Free Senior High School policy.

According to the acting Secretary of the Union, Malik Basintale, Attah is known for his work in showbiz rather than in education and suggested that an ambassador could have been selected from the winner of the ongoing National Science and Maths Quiz.

The Beast of No Nation star was unveiled at a ceremony at the Ministry of Education conference last week to champion one of the key pillars of the governing NPP’s campaign pledge during the 2012 and 2016 elections, which is expected to roll out in the next academic year across the country.

But Mr Basintale, speaking to Class News, said the union was interested in finding out what went into selecting Attah as ambassador for Free SHS within a week, failing which students would demonstrate.

Mr Basintale said: “We do not see why the Education Minister should overlook all these five million Ghanaian students, go to the United States and pick someone to come and lead this agenda. That is what we are finding difficult to understand… We have written letters to the Education Minister to clarify the matter because various SRC presidents and various school prefects were calling to find out whether the union was aware of this appointment. And, so, they are raising concerns.

“The Education Minister was unable to state categorically the role Abraham Attah was to play; we have our reservations. We have so many ways of [demonstrating our displeasure]. First of all we could embark on a demonstration in respect of the fact that the Education Minister has not respected Ghanaian pupils schooling in the country. We are giving the Education Minister seven days to come out or we take the next action.”