Free SHS Campaign takes off

Teenage Ghanaian Hollywood movie star, Abraham Attah, has begun a campaign to help the masses, especially students at senior high school (SHS) level in Ghana, to understand the enormous impact the free SHS policy would have on Ghana if supported by all and sundry.

Abraham Attah, the official ambassador of the Free SHS programme, on Saturday, August 19, this year, organized a couple of sporting activities such as basketball, tug of war and health walk in Accra.

He brought on board officials of the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to answer some pertinent questions from students on the implementation of the policy, which kick-starts in September 2017.

Students from various schools such as Accra Girls, Achimota Senior High School, during the exercise – which began at the Accra Mall with the health walk and ended at the Aviation Social Centre – were given the chance by E-On 3 Multimedia, official publishers of Abraham Attah and campaigners of the Free SHS programme, to seek clarifications from government officials on what was required of them under the pro-poor educational programme.

E-On 3 Multimedia, a renowned business solution provider and communications agency, used the occasion to unveil Ghana’s winner of 2016 Miss African Continent, Rebecca Asamoah, as the second ambassador of the Free SHS programme.

Ms Asamoah is expected to support Abraham Attah to create awareness nationwide about the policy.

Abraham Attah, a 15-year-old boy, who emerged from grass to grace after acting in his debut film, the ‘Beast of No Nation’ in 2015, has come under sharp criticisms from a section of the Ghanaian populace who argue that he (Attah) does not deserve the ambassadorial job simply because he does not school in Ghana.

In spite of strong opposition by critics about his selection as one of the lead ambassadors, Abraham Attah and his publishing company are putting all necessary measures in place to ensure that the message of President Akufo-Addo’s free SHS policy sinks in the masses.

The young actor, in an interview on the sidelines of the health walk, reiterated that he was unperturbed about the criticisms.

That, he said, was because President Akufo-Addo’s educational programme is a noble one which everyone ought to support to make it a reality so that the less privileged but brilliant ones in society who probably cannot on their own afford the cost of SHS education, can seize the opportunity and advance themselves.

“I am a Ghanaian and don’t have to be schooling in the country before I can support the programme,” he pointed out.

E-On 3 Chairman Richard Ofori-Atta, told DAILY GUIDE that many activities were being undertaken to create massive awareness about the commencement and objective of the free SHS policy.

He disclosed that aside Rebecca Asamoah and Abraham Attah, E-On 3 was also looking at outdooring 10 additional regional ambassadors very soon for the initiative.

All efforts being made by E-On 3, which also include massive social media campaigns through the creation of a special social media dashboard, he said, were aimed primarily at ensuring that the initiative becomes a success.

He was of the opinion that the free SHS policy, which is dear to the heart of President Akufu-Addo, would go a long way to benefit Ghanaian children, some of who might not get that golden opportunity to access SHS education.

He, therefore, appealed to all Ghanaians to embrace the policy and make it a success.

Meanwhile, some students who spoke to DAILY GUIDE during the occasion, expressed their excitement about the introduction of the policy, stating clearly that it would go a long way to benefit the larger society.

“I think I have brothers and sisters who will also come to SHS and benefit from the programme,” elated Rhoda Amiteye of Accra Girls, said.