Mahama must be credited with starting implementation of free SHS – ATAG

All Teachers Alliance Ghana (ATAG), a teacher welfare association under the Ghana Education Service (GES), says the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ought to be commended for their respective roles in the implementation of the free senior high school (SHS) policy.

ATAG believes that both political parties have played significant roles in the policy's implementation through the varied approaches they used.

General Secretary Albert Amoah, however, noted that former President John Dramani Mahama must be credited with initiating the implementation.

According to him, it is a known fact that Mahama first rolled out the progressively free SHS policy, which paved the way and laid the foundation upon which the current ruling NPP started its free-for-all approach.

Speaking in an interview with host Kwabena Agyapong on "Frontline" on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, he stated, "On the issue of the free SHS policy, both the NDC and the NPP have played their respective roles. But we should credit Mahama with starting the program through his progressively free SHS policy.

"Mahama evaluated our challenges, infrastructure in the sector, and resource constraints and found that if he had rolled out a wholesale approach, it would have negatively impacted our resources.

"So, he selected some schools and implemented the progressively free SHS. The idea behind this was to open up access to the masses. But we had a deficit in infrastructure, so the former president started the construction of community senior high schools. So, in a way, we can all agree that he was the one who started the policy."

He admitted that the policy direction or approach of the NPP was different from that of the NDC and has also created opportunities for several individuals; however, it has challenges confronting its implementation.

He highlighted the deficit in infrastructure, among other challenges, that are confronting policy implementation today.

He said that without the policy launched by Mahama, the NPP would have found it difficult to implement its policy of free SHS.

"The two policies are different from each other, but both parties have contributed immensely to our sector through their different strategies. The policies are different, but helpful. We should stop the partisan politics in our education sector."

He called for a review of the policy, emphasizing that several SHS graduates are having difficulty pursuing higher learning at the tertiary level.

Some of the SHS graduates, he said, are unable to pursue higher learning because they find it difficult. He has, therefore, proposed a review of the policy, with a lot of focus on expanding technical and vocational education to absorb those who have an interest in learning a skill or trade after junior high school.