Richard Ahiagbah touts Free SHS success in Volta Region, criticizes NDC 'propaganda'

The Director of Communications for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has credited the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy with a 35.1 percent increase in student enrolment in the Volta Region, a milestone he described as vital for the region's development.

Addressing a press conference on the “abuse of the electoral loyalty of the Volta Region” on October 30, 2024, at the NPP’s Regional Headquarters in Ho, Ahiagbah underscored that the FSHS policy has eased the financial burdens on families, particularly empowering female students to continue their education.

“The Free SHS policy has been transformative for the Volta Region, lifting financial constraints that previously prevented many families from sending their children to school, especially girls,” Ahiagbah stated.

“Today, we have achieved gender parity at the SHS level, thanks to this policy, which ensures that girls have equal access to secondary education.”

According to Ahiagbah, the policy’s impact on gender parity represents a significant step forward for the region and underscores the NPP’s commitment to equitable education access.

Ahiagbah highlighted that the 35.1 percent increase in enrolment is a strong indication of the Volta Region’s potential to thrive educationally and economically if given the right support. “Increasing enrolment figures is about more than just numbers; it’s about investing in the future of this region,” he remarked.

“An educated population is the foundation of development, and by removing financial barriers, we are building a more skilled and empowered workforce for the future.”

Responding to claims by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Ahiagbah addressed what he called “deceptive propaganda” concerning the double-track system implemented initially to accommodate the influx of students entering secondary school.

Critics, including NDC representatives, have argued that the system’s staggered schedule contributed to an increase in early pregnancies among female students.

Ahiagbah dismissed these claims as baseless, emphasizing that such assertions overlooked the broader positive impact of the FSHS policy on female students’ educational opportunities.

“It’s shameless propaganda from the NDC to suggest that the double-track system led to pregnancies among young women.

"This line of attack ignores the reality: the FSHS policy has given thousands of female students the chance to pursue their education rather than being left behind,” he contended. “If not for the FSHS, how many female students would still be excluded from the classroom, particularly here in the Volta Region?” Ahiagbah asked.

He stressed that: “What we must be concerned about in the Volta Region is the education of our children to compete at the highest levels because of the elimination of the cost barrier, which has forced many in the past to drop out of school”.

In his view, only the NPP can protect and improve the FSHS policy because the NDC considers it a 419 scam. “Former President John Mahama said that if he had GHS 2 billion to invest, he would not invest in FSHS. If H.E. Mahama becomes president, he will not invest in FSHS. Mahama will kill FSHS, plain and simple,” he added.

He added: “My accomplished educationist brother, Christopher Ahiagba, told me how he got through school. Because he was not given pocket money for school, he and his brothers would hunt rats to trade for their upkeep.

"Today, thanks to the FSHS policy, no child in the Volta Region has to suffer that fate. Apart from Eworkple and Aborbitadi, education is the next favorite thing for our people. Let's vote on 7 December to protect the FSHS”.

He stated that to address the increased number of students taking advantage of the FSHS in the Volta Region, the government initiated 134 classroom projects and has completed 92, which are being used, and the remaining 42 are near completion.

He mentioned that the government had invested to boost rural connectivity in the Volta Region.

“A total of 54 rural telephony projects were initiated, of which 52 have been completed and are operational, enhancing the quality of life in these communities. These communities existed when the NDC was in power between 2008 and 2016 but failed to meet the people’s fundamental needs,” he cited.