Ablakwa's 'Free SHS pregnancy' claim laughable - Deputy Education Minister

A claim by Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa that students are getting pregnant as a result of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme, is laughable, Dr Yaw Adutwum, Deputy Minister of Education, has said.

According to him, comments of this kind should be treated with the contempt they deserve.

Mr Ablakwa told Accra-based Asempa FM on Monday, 4 December that he had confidential information to the effect that some female SHS students have been impregnated as a result of the lack of accommodation in their schools due to the poor implementation of the Free SHS policy.

However, speaking in an interview with Chief Jerry Forson, host of Ghana Yensom on Accra100.5FM on Tuesday, 5 December, Dr Adutwum said: “It is laughable that anybody will attribute the teenage pregnancy among the student to the Free SHS prgramme.

“Teenage pregnancy has been a problem in Ghana for years, it didn’t start today, and, so, why will anybody make such a comment. I believe this comments should be disregarded.”