Let’s be positive towards Free SHS – Danquah Institute

Pro-NPP think tank, Danquah Institute has urged Ghanaians to make questions that seek answers to make government’s free SHS policy work, a singular and major preoccupation, and not reasons that will make the nation renege on this laudable policy intervention.

‘At this stage of our development, we need ideas to make progress, solutions to our problems, and not deliberate attempts that maintain the status quo or draw us back, ‘it said in a statement signed by the Executive secretary, Dr. Kingsley Nyarko.

”For example, how do we ensure that the policy is sustained, which of our resources could be leveraged to support it, should there be a special levy, for example that targets pre-tertiary education, portion of which should be used to support the policy, how do we deal with the expected increase in enrollment in the coming years? This should be our attitude towards the policy”, the statement advised.

‘It is a positive attitude that defines success and progress,’ it added. The implementation of the free SHS policy, according to the institute is meant to improve access at the senior high schools, provide the opportunity for the disadvantaged to obtain senior secondary school education, and to unearth or discover talents.

‘There are so many students whose talents or gifts have, over the years, been buried as a result of their inability to continue their education after completing the junior high school,’ the statement noted.

It expressed hope that with the implementation of this policy, the country will benefit from the knowledge, ability and unique skills of these students to make it better and stronger.

The institute, however, encouraged the citizenry to come on board to contribute ideas to make the policy work considering the importance of the free SHS policy in benefitting students, parents and the nation.

It entreated all well-meaning Ghanaians to put politics aside and commend the Akufo-Addo led administration for making the promise of free senior high school a reality, adding that, it is a national policy that will benefit all regardless of ethnicity, religious affinity, and political affiliation.

The Institute pleaded with government to continue to think in novel ways and engage stakeholders in order to ensure the sustenance of the policy by identifying and addressing any potential threat that can undermine or compromise its effectiveness, and opportunities that will ensure its success.