GNAPS: Free SHS Concept laudable, but Implementation is Poor

The implementation of the Free Senior High School (fSHS) policy initiative by the government has been classified as the worse education policy implementation ever in Ghana’s long educational history.

This was contained in a recent statement released and signed by the Central Regional Vice President of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools (GNAPS), Dr. Bright Honu, and copied to Ghananewsonline.com.gh.

“The worse that has ever happened to our educational system is the ad hoc approach to the introduction of the free SHS system,” the release stated.

“The concept by itself is laudable, but the implementation is abysmal, it’s not enabling learners to stay enough in school, to be able to achieve the maximum, and it’s not satisfactory for one to take just about nine months to cover all the necessary syllabus to study medicine to enable him become a good doctor, but this is where we are now,” it further stated.

The free SHS since its introduction in 2017 has received a lot of slacks with most stakeholders calling for its review.

Dr. Bright Honu, who is also the Proprietor of New Life Educational Centre at Kasoa in the Central Region emphasized the need for parents to pay for the education of their wards; especially accommodation, feeding, and utilities, among others to enhance quality teaching and learning so as to produce well-resourced personnel who would pay their quota to the development of Ghana in the near future.

He appealed to the government to take a second look at the policy. He urged the government not to hesitate to abolish the double track system because it’s benefits are very minimal.

The statement also encouraged parents to patronize the services of private schools to ease the congestion in the public schools which is negatively affecting learning activities.

Source: William Dei Gyau