Bawumia taunts NDC over Free SHS

Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia is taunting the minority in parliament over their attacks on the government’s education policy –Free SHS – which will be launched today by the President.

The minority has said the funding mechanism for the program is not sustainable. They are also demanding a blueprint for the policy, which was a major campaign message for President Akufo-Addo during the 2016 electioneering.

In a Facebook message on the minority’s concerns, Mr. Bawumia said “We thank God for today. They said it was impossible. They said it was an election gimmick. They said it was a hoax. Today, the impossible has become possible. Today, Free Senior High School education is here. We thank God for the vision and fortitude of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.God bless our homeland Ghana”.

The Free SHS commenced on Monday, 11 September 2017 across the country. In some schools, the process was well organized, while for others the registration was marked by disorder.

While some fresh students and their parents are happy to have secured admissions, the story is not so exciting for those who besieged the Education Ministry over placement challenges.

The Computerized School Selection Placement System (CSSPS) which places students into various senior high schools encountered some challenges, with error notices greeting some BECE graduates who have been trying, since September 1, to access the website for self-placement.

The free SHS policy, to cost 3.6 billion Ghana cedis each year, was a major campaign promise by then candidate Nana Akufo Addo in both the 2012 and 2016 elections.

A little over 400,00 students are expected to benefit from the policy that will exempt them from paying for tuition and other fees.