Free SHS for boarders was budgeted for – Gov’t

The Ministry of Education has said that the necessary funds have been made available ahead of the implementation of the free Senior High School (SHS) education for some boarding students.

According to the Ministry, they expect a successful implementation as provisions for the new programme had been made in the budget for 2016.

“Government and for that matter the Ministry of Education is ready for the funding of this particular policy. We have already taken care of this policy in the 2016 budget, and so we do not think that there is any problem,” the Public Relations officer of the Ministry, Francis Gbadago said.

“What the Day students are currently benefitting from, that’s exactly what we are extending to the boarding students and at the appropriate time, other activities or other fees will be added,” he said

The reassurance follows concerns over government’s ability to sustain the policy particularly given recent economic challenges.

The deputy minister of Education in charge of tertiary, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, announced at the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s campaign launch on Sunday, that the government would extend the free education to boarding students for the next academic year.

“Next month September when the 2016/2017 academic year begins, president Mahama will be launching the free SHS for borders. 120,000 borders are going to benefit from this programme as we expand progressively free senior high school education. This is what the NDC stands for,” Mr. Ablakwa said.

“Education investments take time to show; but we are committed and President Mahama led by the able Professor Naana Opoku Agyeman, we are making progress and progress is there for all to see. Apart from quality and access, affordability is also key and so we have implemented the progressively free senior high school education. More than 400,000 school pupils are benefiting at the second cycle level.”

This was confirmation of President John Mahama’s earlier announcement that the government would expand the policy to cover both Day and Boarding students in deprived communities

He had said in 2014 that the payment of fees at the SHS level was a huge burden on most parents, and cutting those expenses would enable them venture into other areas that could be beneficial to their families.

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