Prof. John Gatsi Writes: Free SHS Not Threatened by Political Parties
The Free SHS policy is an initiative that has received support from all political parties and the presidential candidates on the 2024 general elections ballot. All candidates have openly pledged to continue the Free SHS policy, with some additionally promising to improve its implementation.
These improvements include ensuring greater efficiency in food supply management, which has been a significant issue in the national discourse since the policy’s inception, maintaining consistent contact hours for students without denying teaching and non-teaching staff their legitimate annual leave, and strengthening relationships between schools and parents.
Furthermore, some candidates have proposed establishing a dedicated funding source for Free SHS. None of these commitments suggest that any candidate intends to cancel the Free SHS program.
A historical observation of political campaigns shows that some politicians often recycle similar narratives. For instance, during the 2008 elections, the NPP claimed that if the NDC won, they would cancel the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Contrary to this propaganda and misinformation, the NDC won the 2008 election and later enacted the NHIS Act, 2012 (Act 852), which was passed by Parliament and assented to on October 31, 2012. This Act replaced the NHIS Act, 2003 (Act 650), established a single national health insurance scheme, and dissolved the District Mutual Health Insurance Schemes (DMHIS) set up under Act 650, bringing an end to the multi-scheme system adopted by the previous government.
Educational funding remains a fiscal priority, requiring prudent economic management to ensure that resources are conscientiously targeted across all levels of education. This approach will prevent SHS from being a terminal point for students who qualify to pursue tertiary education in Ghana.
As parents continue to significantly augment government efforts by providing additional feeding for boarding and day students, as well as funding vacation tutorials to compensate for time spent at home, the economic burden on families becomes apparent.
Personal income erosion, stemming from macroeconomic policy failures, further highlights the need to protect the economy – and, by extension, the financial stability of parents, guardians, and education sector workers. Ensuring income stability within the populace is essential for fostering the peace of mind, well-being, and future prospects of SHS students and graduates.
