Free SHS beneficiaries mob President Akufo-Addo

Beneficiaries of the Free Senior High School policy, as well as hundreds of residents from the three northern regions have lauded President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for implementing the policy.

As the President visited the many municipalities and towns on his tour of the three regions, first year students from several Senior High Schools and Technical and Vocational Institutions lined the principal streets of the Regions, showering appellations on the first gentleman of the land for his vision of instituting the educational policy.

The ecstatic students and scores of residents for moments held the President's convoy as he rode into the country side, with many displaying placards with inscriptions like “We are beneficiaries of Free SHS”, “Thank you, Mr. President”.

Other placards read “President Akufo-Addo, the visionary leader”, “Free SHS is a blessing to Ghanaians”, “Ghana is working again”, “In 9 months, promises fulfilled”, “We need NPP in power for 50 years”, ‘We now have a competent President”, amongst others.

Upon President Akufo-Addo's entry into Bolgatanga in the Upper West region last Wednesday, several hundreds of Free SHS beneficiaries from the Bolgatanga Girls Senior High School gave the President a rousing welcome to the Upper East Region.

And on his arrival in the Northern Region on Friday, on his way to Nalerigu to pay a courtesy call on the Nayiri, Naa Bohogu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga, students from the Walewale Vocational Institute, Walewale Secondary Technical School, Gambaga Senior High School and Nalerigu Senior High School, lined up along the streets of Walewale, Nalerigu and Gambaga to welcome the President.

The Nayiri in his welcome address to President Akufo-Addo, summed up the outpouring of joy by the students and parents, who met the President.

“I wish to express my appreciation and gratitude for the many good things and support you have done to benefit my people and the country at large. The government under your able leadership needs to be commended for the numerous pro-poor policies rolled out within the few months into office.

"Policies such as the Programme for Planting for Food and Jobs, free fertilizer, Free SHS, restoration of teacher and nursing trainee allowances will help reduce poverty in Ghana,” the Nayiri said.

President Akufo-Addo, on September 12, 2017, launched the Free Senior High Policy at the West Africa Senior High School, in fulfilment of the New Patriotic Party Manifesto pledge of 2016.

Parents and students, as a result of the Free SHS policy, no longer pay tuition fees, admission fees, library fees, science centre fees, computer lab fees, examination fees and utility fees. Additionally there are free textbooks, free boarding and free meals, and day students get a meal at school for free.

The Policy also covers agricultural, vocational and technical institutions at the high school level. Government has also outlined a well-thought out plan that involves the building of new public Senior High Schools and cluster public Senior High Schools.

En route to Damongo, first year students of the Pong Tamale Senior High School and Savelugu Senior High School also came out in their numbers to welcome President Akufo-Addo.