DECONSTRUCTING THE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT THE FAMOUS
FREE SHS POLICY
By Iddi Muhayu-Deen
1) They say Free
SHS has brought about UNBEARABLE CONGESTION in our schools
Fact:
This cannot be true
because available data from the Education Ministry and GES reveal that NO
school in the whole of Ghana received placement of students beyond the number
requested by the Heads or school authorities. As a matter of fact, schools like
Vitin SHS and La Presec that made notorious headlines over this matter had
received placements less than what the Heads requested for.
Vitin requested for
533 students but only 517 students were placed there. La Presec on the other
hand declared 607 vacancies but only 539 students were posted to the school.
With this, how can anybody suggest that Free SHS has led to congestion in these
schools? If truly there is congestion, Free SHS cannot be the cause and this is
logical. Please disabuse your mind on this because facts, they say, do not lie.
2) They say some
students in the 3 regions of the north are compelled to sleep 'outside' because
their schools lack adequate dormitories to house them and this is blameable on
Free SHS
Fact:
This cannot be true
because in 'hot seasons' like this, some of these students find it more
comfortable to sleep outside with their mattresses for obvious reasons. I had
this very experience during my days at Bolgatanga SHS in the upper east region.
It is therefore unfair and incorrect to blame this phenomenon on the Free SHS.
3) They say the
fees paid by the continuing students (i.e. 2nd and 3rd years) is what is being
used to finance the Free SHS for the 1st years and that, government is really
not doing anything extraordinary.
Fact:
This is a blatant
falsehood. As we speak, government continues to pay the 30% subsides for all
continuing students in all government SHSs. The amount (fees) these students
paid last year is the same amount they paid this year. Not even one cedi has
been added. Again, government, as we all know, is paying, 100%, all the
absorbed fees for first years; the first batch of the Free SHS beneficiaries.
4) They say
government is shortchanging the schools by allowing the Ghana Buffer Stock
Company to supply them with foodstuffs.
Fact:
The Ghana Buffer
Stock Company (GBSC) is the government's guarantor of quality and quantity in
terms of food supplied to schools and other agencies. The GBSC does not supply
food directly to the schools. What happened was that, upon the implementation
of Free SHS, government asked the schools to ensure that their existing food
suppliers register with the company for purposes of monitoring their activities
and providing them with buffer support schemes pursuant to its mandate.
The few schools
that failed to oblige to this directive left the company with no option but to
get them suppliers. It is also untrue that food supplies to the schools under
the supervision of the GBSC haven't been regular because there exists more than
enough documentary evidence to the contrary.
5) They say
government has only paid 20% of the required fees for the Free SHS
beneficiaries.
Fact:
This is not
entirely true. The 20% that was paid was based on projected numbers and not
actuals. You need not be told that projections are almost always more than
actuals. Again, aside the 20% paid, government has also directly paid for most
of the items in the fees breakdown like books, uniforms, electricity/water
bills and many others without passing through the schools.
So technically,
even though you can say government has paid 20% [of projected numbers], in
actual fact, over 83% of the approved fees is what has been paid either
directly or indirectly. Else, the schools would have closed down in less than a
month. As we speak, the term is almost coming to an end. Doesn't this tell you
there is more to the 20% being bandit about than what meets the eye?
In conclusion,
please do not get it twisted. I am not by this, suggesting for once that
everything is well and cozy with the Free SHS. There certainly exits some
shortfalls as you would expect in the implementation of every audacious policy.
However, our criticism of the policy should be constructive and factual. We owe
it a duty to our country to be guided by not only fairness and firmness but
also our good CONSCIENCE.
It is gratifying to
note that, as we speak, government has just committed over GHc 80 million to
tackle the age-long infrastructure and other logistical challenges bedevilling
some of the schools. Parliament has also approved a $40m World Bank facility to support Free SHS. So, claims that the implementers of the policy are doing
nothing about the challenges CANNOT be true on the face of the records.
Cynicism doesn't build a nation. Wishing doom for a life-saving policy like the
Free SHS which is securing the future of the youth of our country is the
greatest disservice we can do to our motherland.
I am happy the
cynics are now making a u'turn after saying it [Free SHS] will collapse after
2020, by which time, they dream to be in power so that they can cancel the
policy. Like I said, is good they are now reconsidering their anti-Ghana
position. I only hope we are not being misled again. Free SHS has come to stay
and let me hear believers say AMEN.
Assalamu Alaik
Iddi Muhayu-Deen
Free to share and
inform others....
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