The President of the Ghana Bar Affiliation (GBA), Yaw Acheampong Boafo, has referred to as on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and his administration to rethink the Free Senior Excessive Faculty (SHS) coverage by permitting college students from prosperous households to pay charges, thereby releasing up sources for college students from much less privileged backgrounds.
Addressing the 2024/2025 Annual Basic Convention of the Ghana Bar Affiliation in Kumasi on Monday, September 9, Mr Boafo acknowledged the numerous function the Free SHS coverage has performed in enhancing instructional entry in Ghana.
Nonetheless, he emphasised the necessity for monetary fairness inside the system.
He urged the federal government to give attention to enhancing fundamental training and prioritize help for underprivileged college students, reasonably than subsidizing secondary training for individuals who can afford to pay.
“The Free SHS programme should be means-tested utilizing the info compiled by the Nationwide Identification Authority in order that wealthy dad and mom don’t abruptly rework to develop into peasant farmers, as within the days of outdated after we had the COCOBOD scholarship.
“College students from snug backgrounds who attended costly fundamental colleges should pay charges on the senior highschool stage in order that sources are free to totally cater for the poor. Mr. President, we should make investments extra in ‘syto’ (public colleges) training, eradicate colleges beneath timber, and supply sanitary pads for poor younger ladies first earlier than spending a lot on secondary training.
“As one comes earlier than two, so fundamental training comes earlier than secondary training. There may be additionally this latest revelation in regards to the faculty feeding programme from the Auditor Basic, which ought to function a supply of concern for us and name for evaluation and enhancements within the operations of the programme, the principle beneficiaries of that are individuals from poor backgrounds.”