Free SHS: Government to probe fee charging reports

Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Adutwum, has said the Ministry will be deploying officials to some of the senior high schools that are reportedly charging the first year students fees.

There have been concerns that some heads of the schools are charging fees in spite of the government baring the cost of the education of the children as part of the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme.

But Dr Adutwum has cautioned the headmasters of all the senior high schools in the country not to charge any first year student in senior high schools fees.

He told host of the Ghana Yensom show on Accra 100.5FM on Wednesday, September 13 that: “No headmaster should charge any fee, they are not allowed to charge fees and so they shouldn’t.”

He added: “We will be sending officials to those particular schools to investigate the matters and we will apply sanctions if they are found culprits.”

The Free SHS programme was launched by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Tuesday, September 12 in Accra.

Delivering an address at the launch of the Free SHS programme the President said, among other things, that his government is open to accept inputs from all quarters to make the programme long lasting and successful.

“As is with all human endeavours, we will certainly face challenges in the implementation of this policy of Free SHS despite our best preparation and efforts. We may falter but by the grace of the almighty God, we shall not fall for we will be ready in all humility to accept inputs and criticisms aimed at improving the policy,” he stated.

He added: “The policy is not about the NPP or the NDC. The beneficiaries will not only be NPP members or sympathisers. They will be Ghanaians from all walks of life and from all political persuasions. This is about Ghana and how best to build a progressive and prosperous nation for this and future generations. Its constitutionality is not in doubt. All Ghanaians should support the policy to ensure its success.”