Lawra Naa appreciates Free SHS Policy

The Paramount Chief of Lawra traditional area, Naa Puowele Karbo III, has heaped praises on government for implementing free Senior High School (SHS) policy to increase enrolment and lessen financial burdens of guardians and parents.

According to the Chief, the free education policy intervention, introduced last year, had tremendously benefited large number of Ghanaian children who could have been denied access to secondary education in their life time due to financial constraints.

Naa Karbo who made the commendation in Lawra during the 50th Anniversary celebration of Lawra Senior High School where President Akufo-Addo was the special guest of honour, recounted how students in the area hitherto, had to travel faraway to access secondary education.

The Anniversary, which was on the theme: “Remembering our Past and Creating Academic Excellence for Ghana’s Future”, brought together stakeholders particularly old students to take stock of past achievements and failures.

Lawra SHS pioneer Headmaster, Alhaji Rahim Gbadamossi and other past heads including staff were eulogized for their profound contribution to the school, which had brought education to the doorsteps of people in the Lawra traditional area.

The Chief said the government’s vision of providing education to all children irrespective of their status in society, was in consonance with the vision of the founding fathers of Lawra SHS.

He noted that the free SHS education policy had eased hounding psychological burdens of students and removed the apprehensions that usually typified admissions during new academic seasons.

“We applaud you for the bold decision to implement the free senior high school policy, which is to ensure that no child in Ghana is deprived secondary education because of poverty,” he said.

“This policy no doubt, has brought relief to many a parents and eliminated the anxiety and panic, which usually characterised admonitions to SHS in the past.”

In addition, Naa Karbo who is also the Life Patron of Lawra SHS said other “visionary policies” like Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ), One Village One Dam and One-District One-Factory, would lay solid foundation for achieving the government’s policy objective of developing Ghana beyond aid.

“We believe that these acclaimed poverty focused policies and interventions, will lay the foundation for realising your vision of Ghana beyond aid,” he said.

The Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport and Member of Parliament for Lawra Constituency, Mr Anthony Abayifaa Karbo, said plans were far advanced for extension of the free education policy to tertiary level.

He entreated Ghanaians especially parents and teachers to embrace the programme and disregard people who were playing politics with the policy acclaimed locally and internationally.