NDC’ll only abolish Akufo-Addo’s Double-track system – Asiedu Nketiah

The main opposition National Democratic Congress(NDC) says it’ll only discard the double track system being implemented by the Akufo-Addo-led administration in the current second-cycle educational system but maintain the free SHS policy.

Speaking on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 fm, the General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah popularly known as General Mosquito said it’s now obvious and the debate has been settled that the current NPP administration didn’t think through it’s Free SHS policy properly and rushed through it to implement it.

For him, the remedy that will salvage the mess is to resume the programme to fast-track educational infrastructure in the SHS level and absorb the increasing numbers brought about by the poor implementation of the Free SHS policy.

“In fact all the challenges that has greeted the policy now, we cautioned the government on it, including classroom and Residential accommodation and they didn’t listen. Now all these have manifested and you’ve been forced to implement another policy-double track system because of the problems they’ve brought onto themselves. But all what we’ve been saying is that our policy implies that we cancel the double-track system when we take over the reins of power.” he told sit-in host Akwasi Nsiah on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 Fm.

He continued:”It’s funny how they’ve twisted these position and now claiming we want to abolish the Free SHS policy. All the tapes that defended the double-track system when they introduced it are available. They made it clear that it was one of the best systems that will improve education in the country citing different countries that have practiced such model and succeeded with it. The government only changed it’s stance and made a u-turn on the policy- claiming it was an interim measure after the UG Research that indicated that the worst policy that has been introduced in the country, was that Double-track system. We are begging them, they should try and preserve the little credibility they have; the lies they are peddling won’t help them.”

Former President John Mahama, who’s the Flagbearer of the main opposition NDC says he will make free secondary school experience beneficial for students than the “current miserable conditions our children are having to face under Nana Akufo-Addo’s administration”.

According to him, claims that he will cancel the policy are baseless because it is guaranteed by the constitution of the Ghana.

“Free SHS is here to stay. Indeed it is under pinned and guaranteed by the 1992 constitution of Ghana and it cannot be reversed by any government,” Mahama noted at the 27th Annual Residential Delegates Congress organised by the Ghana National Union of Technical University Students in Kumasi Wednesday.

This was a direct response to claims by President Akufo-Addo that an NDC government will cancel the program.

“I know that there are people in this country who don’t want this policy, who have been campaigning against this policy. They are dreaming that they are going to come back to power to cancel the policy,” the President said

He continued: “I want them to know that they are not coming back to power, and the Free Senior High School policy has come to stay. They still haven’t woken up from their dreams; they dreamt in 2016 that they were on course for victory. They did not know that the Ghanaian people were no longer interested in entrusting them with power. They still haven’t woken up from their dreams”.