EduWatch calls on Parliament to ‘delay’ Free SHS Bill introduction
Education think tank – Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) has called on the Parliament of Ghana to delay Free Senior High School (Free SHS) bill introduction until relevant stakeholders in the education sector are consulted.
The Africa Education Watch call follows the central government’s plan to present the secondary education bill to Parliament on Monday, December 16, stating that the process lacks adequate engagement.
In a statement sighted by Pretertiary.com on December 13, 2024, the Ghana-based education think tank highlighted the need for transparency and inclusivity in shaping policies that impact Ghana’s education system.
The Education Policy Research and Advocacy Organization called on the Minister of Education, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, to organize consultations with education experts, civil society organizations, and parent-teacher associations.
“We call on Parliament to defer deliberations on the Bill until consultations are held. In the spirit of inclusive policy governance, we urge the Minister of Education to convene stakeholder consultative meetings and engage education Civil Society Organisations, Development Partners, parents, and teachers, on the Bill,” EduWatch said in the statement.
Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) stressed that broader consultations on the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) bill with stakeholders would help address potential gaps in the policy and gain national support for the initiative.
Inline with EduWatch, pre-tertiary teacher unions have similarly called for the suspension of the controversial Free SHS bill saying it could lead to unforeseen consequences for the future of education in the country.
The teacher unions in the country say the second cycle school policy, while well-intentioned, requires a more comprehensive framework to ensure its success without compromising educational standards.
The introduction of the Free SHS bill was hinted at by Majority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Kwamina Afenyo-Markin this year saying the bill drafted by the Ministry of Education aims to provide legal backing for free and compulsory Senior High School education in Ghana.
The Free Senior High School bill was part of a number of legislations expected to be considered by Parliament during the 3rd meeting which commenced on Tuesday, June 11, 2024.
Addressing the media during a leadership engagement, Majority Leader Alexander Kwamena Afenyo-Markin argued that such legal backing for the policy will ensure it becomes a right for every qualified Ghanaian.
“So I think that this free SHS Bill if we consider it as a House, what that means is that it becomes mandatory for the government to implement this until it is repealed. No government will have the right to say ‘I’m not going to enforce Free SHS’ because now there is a law,” the Majority leader told journalists mid-this year.
