A REPLY TO FRANKLIN CUDJOE ON GOVERNMENT'S POSITION
ON FREE SHS
NAPO AND HAMID HAVE NOT CONTRADICTED THEMSELVES
Dear
Franklin Cudjoe of ImaniGhana
I
have read on a number of credible news portals and on social media, comments
attributed to you, where you categorically suggested that government is
ill-prepared to implement the free SHS policy. You also went further to claim
that the Minister of Education, Hon. Mathew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) and the
Information Minister, Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, have both contradicted
themselves on how government intends to roll out this flagship policy,
following an interview they both granted to Starr Fm on separate days.
Based
on this so called "inconsistency", you conclude that the Akufo-Addo
government doesn't know what it is up to regarding the free SHS policy. Mr.
Franklin, I put it to you that there is absolutely NO contradiction in what the
two Ministers said on the matter of the free SHS. As we speak, BECE would be
written three (3) weeks from now. So obviously, only those that pass the exams
would progress to SHS starting this September (i.e. the 2017/18 academic year).
These
students would get to enjoy the free SHS, provided they gain admission into
public schools (SHSs). That is exactly the point Napo (the Education Minister)
was making. I'm not sure you expected him to say that those who do not gain
admission into SHS, would also enjoy free SHS. If you don't get to SHS, how do
you enjoy free SHS? If I promised you free lunch once you came to my house, and
it turned out that you didn't come to my house, how were you expecting to enjoy
the free lunch? Clearly, the logic doesn't add up at all.
The
Information Minister (Hamid) on the other hand, is talking beyond this academic
year (2017/18). He is talking about government's plan (which is a manifesto
promise) to redefine basic education to include SHS and make same, free. By
that, there wouldn't be BECE, which currently serves as a terminal point. Certainly,
government couldn't have cancelled BECE this year (2017), which is only two to
three weeks away, because the students had already paid and registered for the
exams even before the government was constituted.
So,
obviously this policy, which Hon. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid refers to, can only take
effect fully, from next academic year (ie. 2018/19 academic year) as he
himself, said. That's why he emphatically makes reference to 2018/19 academic
year and NOT 2017/18 (which is this year). The two academic years are NOT the
same and you know it, Mr. Franklin Cudjoe. Respectfully, do not create your own
distortions and use that for analysis.
You
are essentially trying to cause public disaffection against the two respected
Ministers of State and the NPP government out of your own distortions. And that
is not fair Mr. Franklin Cudjoe. That's not what you taught me at OccupyGh and
elsewhere. It is just a not not not senior. You possibly, would succeed in this
pursuit, if you were dealing with spectators. But that is not the case, because
some of us are CITIZENS not spectators. And so, we shall, at all-time, subject
your "expert analysis" to our "commonsense analysis", so
that, the people of Ghana would be better informed. Good day boss.
Assalamu
alaikum
Iddi
Muhayu-Deen
Free
to share....
Franklin should know better and spare us with mischiefs
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