Mahama reiterates that free SHS will not be abandoned.

John Dramani Mahama has stated that his government will continue to implement the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy.

The president-elect made this statement in the midst of rumours that his government would do away with the policy.

He claimed that the claims made by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) were merely propaganda intended to discourage voters from choosing the NDC.

"Free SHS has come to stay, and it is not going anywhere," Mahama stated in an interview with Voice of America (VOA).

"Free SHS won't be abandoned. What was said was gimmick and political rhetoric. We're going to keep it up to date, and we're going to secure funds specifically for it," he continued.

Under the Akufo-Addo administration, the Free SHS policy was implemented in 2017 to give students in public senior high schools free tuition, boarding, and food.

This allowed hundreds of thousands of Ghanaian youth, particularly those from disadvantaged homes, to pursue secondary education.

Nevertheless, the strategy has encountered difficulties that have impacted its quality and execution, such as packed classrooms, poor infrastructure, and a delayed funding release.

John Mahama asserts that the initiative will be maintained and reviewed through stakeholder input. In order to lessen the financial barriers and raise the quality, he also wants a special cash allocation made for it.

As in 2020, the NPP's primary campaign theme was Free SHS. However, a lot of Ghanaians in 2024 claimed that being a Ghanaian meant more than only having a free SHS, which made the party's campaign unpopular. While the government persisted in claiming that the opposition's attempt to review the program would result in its cancellation, the NDC maintained that it would rather to improve it, which struck a chord with many Ghanaians who were worried about equity and access to education. His electoral victory on December 7 was significant.

He received 6,328,397 votes, or 56.55% of the total valid votes cast, and was proclaimed the winner by the Electoral Commission. Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of the NPP, his closest opponent, received 4,657,304 votes (41.61%), however he lost.

Mahama, who was Ghana's leader from 2012 to 2017, is returning to the president with this triumph. Restoring the economy, combating corruption, and enhancing social programs like healthcare and education were the main focusses of his campaign.