'Nothing special about Free SHS; it’s a constitutional provision' – Fred Agbenyo

The main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been critical of the Nana Addo-led administration’s flagship programme, the Free SHS Policy, questioning its sustainability and funding.

It is on this backdrop that the Deputy Communication Director of the party, Fred Agbenyo mentioned that education since independence has been free and for that matter having a free SHS education is not an extraordinary initiative.

Speaking with Atinka TV Morning Show Host, Bismark Brown, on “Ghana Nie”, Fred Agbenyo stated that free SHS education is spelt out clearly in the 1992 Constitution as “progressively free”, thus the atmosphere created as if it is the best thing ever to have come under the sun is not any special initiative.

He added that all past Presidents have contributed their quota towards the Constitutional provision. Aside, the free education initiative was mentioned by the then Presidential Candidate of the People’s National Convention (PNC) in 1996 during a campaign tour.

According to him, they (NDC) love the idea and side with the ruling NPP, however, where they both disagree is the methodology in implementing the policy.

“What the NDC is concerned with is the chaotic situations we may find ourselves in after some few years of implementation per the challenges of inadequate infrastructure, limited human resource personnel, teaching materials and logistics that stare at us in the face.

“In addition, we need an Educational Fund to take care of such a huge policy. However, the truth is that our financial and economic standing will not permit a free SHS policy but a progressively free SHS rather,” Fred Agbonyo said.