Mahama outlines plans to address Free SHS, education challenges

The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, after criticising the Free Senior High School initiative introduced by President Akufo-Addo has outlined measures aimed to address the Free SHS policy and the country’s education challenges if elected president again.

Speaking at the NDC manifesto launch on Monday, August 12, 2024, the former president said his plans to enhance the policy include improving infrastructure, ensuring sustainable funding, and addressing issues with the current system.

“We shall decentralize the procurement of food and other supplies to the headmaster’s school basis. In order to improve the quality of food and also boost the local economies in the district where the schools are located.

We shall expand access by building more infrastructure in existing secondary schools, and we shall dedicate funding to completing the E blocks in order that more children can have the opportunity to go to school

We will abolish the double track system so that all our children can go to school at the same time and vacate at the same time. Our kids will not come and stay at home for four months and go to school, having forgotten everything they learnt in the previous term,” he said.

Addressing financial barriers faced by tertiary students, Mr Mahama announced plans to partner with the private sector to develop affordable on-campus housing.

“My government will partner with the private sector to demarcate a portion of the vast tracts of land that the universities are holding to construct hostels for students on campus at reasonable rates and thereby address the accommodation challenges that students are facing

The professional institutions of architects and engineers will be engaged to provide uniform design and the costing of the hostels that will be built on all campuses, and that will be under our programme of “bed for all” for all students to be able to stay on campus,” Mahama stated.

Announcing his plan for government Colleges of Education in the country, John Dramani Mahama indicated that his next government will abolish the Ghana teacher licensure examination administered by the National Teaching Council.

“We will make teacher licensing a part of the final year programme in the college of education. The John and Jane administration will implement strategies to address teacher accommodation challenges in rural areas, offering incentives to encourage them to accept postings in these underserved regions,” he said.

As part of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) effort to further support students, Mr Dramani Mahama proposed the ‘No Fee Stress Initiative,’ which he said will offer fee-paying support through the Student Loan Trust Fund (STLF).