Senior Minister Dr. Yaw Osafo Maafo has hinted that government will review the Heritage Fund Component in the Petroleum Management Act in order to use the proceeds to finance its Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
According to him, the decision has become necessary because government wants to invest a significant revenue generated from the oil industry to fund major sectors like education since it has the potential of building a good foundation for the country.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo announced over the weekend that government would fund the cost of public SHS for all those who qualify for entry from the 2017/2018 academic year onwards.
He explained once the policy comes into effect, there will be no admission fees, no library fees, no science centre fees, no computer lab fees, no examination fees and no utility fees.
Spelling out the details of the policy “so that no one in Ghana is left in any doubts”, President Akufo-Addo added that in addition to tuition which is already free, there will be free textbooks, free boarding and free meals, and day students will get a meal at school for free.”
“Free SHS will also cover agricultural, vocational and technical institutions at the high school level. I also want to state clearly again that we have a well-thought-out plan that involves the building of new public Senior High Schools and cluster public Senior High Schools,” he added.
Education experts have questioned the source of funds in carrying out one of the key campaigning promise of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2012 as well as 2016 election.
The cost of the policy is yet to be known, but the last time government absorbed part of the fees, it paid GHC12million which was the cost of implementing the policy for 313,301 day students.
However, Mr Marfo speaking to Joy business after he made a presentation on the upcoming budget at the just ended Business Breakfast meeting on the theme “a public-private dialogue on stability, growth and jobs” said government would look out for different ways of generating revenue in order not to burden on the taxpayer.
The business breakfast meeting is part of series of engagements organized by the Graphic Communication Group in partnership with Stanbic Bank Ghana to bring government and businesses together to discuss issues relating to the economy.
In a related development, the Senior Minister Osafo Maafo has downplayed the assertions that major tax cuts by the government will result to financial loopholes in government revenue.
According to him, the government in its 2017 budget will abolish taxes like the special import levy, 5 Percent tax on real estate and reduce the 17.5 percent VAT on small and micro businesses to a flat rate of 3 percent.
“We are going to remove the taxes we will reduce some and bring some," he said adding “government will introduce a lot of measures to maximize revenue” he ended.
Source: myjoyonline.com
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. |
And you can think well right? Have you considered about the unemployment rate in our country ? Next time think very well before you make ascensions .Then i guess it will be better they freely share money to individuals too. The country is sinking, instead of them to think about revamping it. they spend the tax payers money on unnecessary things, such blocked headed people like you will support this. Is Ghana like Germany, what facilities have u put into place . Is only Ghana we worship educational certificate but still they put only block headed politicians into offices who dont know their left and right.
If you don't know, speak not. Who said education is paid for in Germany or the Scandinavian countries and many others? Hadn't the free tertiary education in Germany, many Ghanaian intellectuals wouldn't have foreign education do you know that? The tax payer funds freed education even to foreigners. Poland,Japan Etc. Massa weak brains in high in places in Ghana is the course of poor development because we just can't think. They simply can't think to solve difficult problems , but can think to steal. If we eliminate corruption, we can even have free tertiary education. Dr Osarfo Marfo,thump up.
Instead of you creating jobs for the unemployed..You just thinking about making education free to make things worst. Even those who paid for education arent getting jobs to do, so imagine the pressure the economy is going to face. Africans rush too much in development, I dont think developed nations like US,Europe etc. Education is nor free how much Ghana a develop african nation. Our leaders have to stop this st**pdty , everything free to deceive the electorate. I think if the economy is improved with jobs parents will be able to cater for their wards. This free things is enough.I tell you this leaders dont have any foresight for this country. After all none of their family members are suffering all they think about winning the illiterate electorate. Enough of this ***barred word***