Private schools welcome Mahama's Free SHS inclusion

The Executive Director for the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), Enoch Gyatua, says the association welcomes the decision of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to expand the free SHS policy to include private schools.

The NDC has promised to expand the reach of the Free Senior High School programme to include private schools should it be re-elected in the December 6 polls.

Speaking at the launch of the NDC’s manifesto at the University for Professional Studies in Accra, on the theme  ‘People’s Manifesto: Jobs, Prosperity and More’, the flagbearer’s running mate, Prof Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang noted that the second-cycle schools in the private sector also need to be rolled onto the national policy in the next NDC government.

“We plan to make the Free SHS more inclusive by expanding it to cover students in private senior high schools in under-served and deprived parts of the country,” she added.

Responding to the policy on Atinka FM’s AM Drive with host, Ekourba Gyasi, The Executive Director for the Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS), Enoch Gyatua said the introduction of the Free SHS rendered most of the private schools jobless and that if the NDC has acknowledged this defect and seeks to help, they cannot reject.

“We are for open participation for educational delivery. GNACOPS have had numerous talks with government on Free SHS. Section 27 of the Education Act empowers the Ministry of Education to include private schools in its policies to enhance open participation of programs in the sector and so an inclusion is a step in the right direction. What we will have to do is to go to the drawing table and find out the best possible way to roll us on" he explained.