It’s too early to criticise free SHS – NAGRAT

The General Secretary of National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), Mr Angel Kabonu, has urged both parents and the general public to hold onto their criticisms on the implementation of ‘Free SHS’ and wait to see the outcome of the policy.

Free SHS education has been one of the top priorities of the ruling New Patriotic party (NPP) government as it was a major campaign tool prior to 2008, 2012 and the 2016 elections respectively.

The NPP after winning the 2016 general elections said it is determined to roll out the pogramme that seeks to give free Senior High School education to about 120, 000 students across the country.

However, some individuals and groups both within and outside the party have warned the government to make better preparations to ensure its sustainability. A former defense minister, Dr Kwame Addo Kufour, who is also a staunch member of the party earlier this year warned.

So far, the NPP government has discredited those arguments stating that, the country is ready and has the economical capacity to roll the policy which is expected to cost GHC3.5 billion annually.

The General Secretary, Mr Angel Kabonu, speaking on Kumasi Fm with the host, Nana Jantuah, said per what the government has said, free SHS policy will be effective.

“So as the government has guaranteed that, Free Senior High School is going to be funded effectively, the association has nothing much to say than to wait for the policy to be implemented. Ghanaians should also wait till they begin to criticize the government”. He explained.

When asked about some precedence set by some government, on certain policies which were not effectively executed in the past, like the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), he answered:“This father is different from those we had earlier. This time our new father will fulfill his promise”.

Mr Kabonu argued that, since the government did not allow various stakeholders to come to decide on how the program should be executed, it is advisable for everyone to wait to see how it is going to be rolled before they can criticize.