We cannot take Free SHS away from the NPP - Educationist

Educationist Ibrahim Gunu has touted that the all-inclusive Free Senior High School legacy cannot be taken away from the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).

According to him, even though the National Democratic Congress (NDC) started a progressive Free Senior High School, it can never claim the wholesale Free SHS.

Speaking to Samuel Eshun on the Happy Morning Show, he stated: "The difference between the progressive Free SHS and the all-inclusive Free SHS is that under the first one, not all Ghanaians were enjoying that. We want to pin that to the previous government and I think that is the reality and that is the argument. The NPP came and started the free SHS under the fourth republic so to speak. So for free Senior High School, we can’t take that away from the NPP”.

He noted, however, that a battle over who started free SHS should not be a priority. Rather, the focus must be on how to improve on the policy and promote development in education.

"All the same, the argument should not be who started it. Let’s focus on the challenges and let’s concentrate on moving forward in the free Senior High School beyond what we have at the moment”, he added.

Last Tuesday, while on a tour of some constituencies in the Upper East Region, Mr Mahama stated that “we started the policy [free SHS] and the NPP came and continued it”.

Reacting to Mr. Mahama’s claim, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has expressed disbelief over claims being made by the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as he described the statement as “something which shocked me [him]”.

According to the President, when he promised free SHS in the 2008, 2012 and 2016 campaigns, the NDC and their flagbearer, John Mahama said he was deceiving the people. But today, he has been able to introduce the free SHS.