Congratulations to the government for having implemented the much acclaimed and the much awaited vote-winning promise or policy if you like. Ghanaians have really bought the idea and so willfully demonstrated such at the 2016 Elections asking for a shift in the political paradigm. That loudly pronounces how much they love and hope it faithfully becomes a reality with the mantle the party asked for at the landsliding polls. This is not to suggest such was the only promise prior to the polls.
While everyone believes that we need free education to the highest levels possible, we all are aware of the fact that it will take more resources than we can spare now. We shall be able to achieve a complete free education for our people only if we have in place the 'right apparatus' which we do not seem to have at the moment? At least, that is the opinion offered to some extent by the past government while developing steps to progressively usher the constitutional aspiration into reality. Such a position was understandable noting the fact that IMF reports warmly indicates that we're using larger portions of our revenue to pay public sector workers. I am not exactly saying the government cannot achieve the promise or that this is not sustainable. I am only questioning the sad fact that it had be implemented in the manner and style it's being done. Are we in a military state?
Most Ghanaians discernibly have their reservations about how this social intervention policy is being implemented, especially about the speed. While the policy have attractive face value, it possibly will become a problem in the long run if care is not taken, looking at the facts surrounding it and it's implementation. In my candid opinion, we should only think of free SHS when we have enough schools with adequate facilities and enough teachers to teach in these schools before opting to make it free since the cost was not overbearing for Ghanaians. If there be crucial needs, then it is the need for enough jobs for parents and guardians.
Since, the good things brought by the policy exist in their numbers and everyone knows them already, I have reservations to share about what I think is bad. I am worried about the problems it will likely create both directly and remotely in the near future. Below are few problems noticeable about the policy.
Firstly, the policy has limited the opportunity to only newly admitted SHS students. What? How can the government justify such a truncation? How come the continuing SHS students do not stand the chance to benefit? Are they not part of the SHS system anymore? Now, this is not only unfair as the promise was loud and clear that it will make senior high school education free in Ghana. This I see as a point in the direction that things aren't starting on good marks. Maybe, this is the government's idea of the progressiveness that the constitution mentioned. It is equally unfair because the dreams of parents of the continuing students who voted in anticipation of their wards finishing school freely have been dashed. It is just not right, it can never be justified. If this was as easy as the promise sounded, it will have covered the whole school at once. Sarcastically, the campaign promise should have said... Free SHS for new students!
Secondly, the policy is not so poor-man-friendly as initially promised because of the rigidity it is being implemented with. The Free SHS Policy is simply too rigid (only in practice). For example, where a child is placed in some school, such child can only access free education from that school only. Choosing to not go to one's originally placed school automatically terminates the slot. Now, if this rigidity is translated into practice, into the real life scenario, the poorer people suffer in their numbers. For example, Emefa lives at Sogakope and the mother can however afford keeping her as a day student even if there's no free education. Now free education is in, with great joy, they received their placement information. Emefa was placed at a school in a town very far away and made a border. Everyone was happy. But the prospectus changed every thing. The items to be bought cost more than they expected and can afford. The government is not covering for everything. The story is different in policy though.
Thirdly, according to the policy guidelines, only students who wrote BECE in the previous academic years have the chance to be placed in senior high schools under the Free SHS policy. This means that, past students who for one reason or the other need to return to school cannot or simply say, the children in the house who want to pay and go to school cannot. From this, one can sense the looming trouble as many many people will be denied the chance to attend senior high school following the implementing principles. How can this be justified? Is the education being made free so that only some group of people can have access?
This is gravely unjustifiable and I must say unacceptable as well. It's a sign that the policy is taking off on very very cold grounds.
Finally, if the motive behind the policy is to make education affordable to everyone, then it really needs to be looked at again. How are we going to manage this policy?
The source of funding is not very encouraging considering the fact that it's on the petroleum tax.
Concluding, I will like to simply suggest that a second look at the policy be made. If it's going to be free, it must really be free. The 1992 Constitution was clear and more foreseeing on this hence the august pronouncement that education should progressively be made free.
This is my layman view and comment on the Free SHS policy.
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