Ghana has begun implementation of one of the NPP government's key campaign pledges; the introduction of free SHS education!
According to the government, it has disbursed 280 million Ghana cedis (about 70 million USD), for the education of nearly 440 thousand students. There has never been this much excitement since the early days of the Nkrumah regime. A song has been released in celebration.
As usual, the reactions have taken on PARTISAN colours. Some members of the opposition National Democratic Congress are already attacking the new policy and its implementation.
The respected and normally measured Professor Adam Bodomo of University of Vienna has questioned the commitment of the governing right of center NPP to the policy as well as its ability to implement it on ideological grounds.
To begin with, the right of every citizen to education, together with the obligation of every government to provide the same, is enshrined in article 25 of the 1992 constitution.
Thus governments have been derelict in not providing it. Furthermore, as President Akufo-Addo stated, "The policy is not about NPP or NDC; the beneficiaries will not only be NPP sympathisers; they will be Ghanaians".
And the provision of free education is firmly grounded in conservatism-- education increases productivity, profitability and GDP. And it reduces poverty-- big time. Helping to mitigate poverty is at the core of the biblical injunction to care for those less fortunate than ourselves.
Liberals can of course come to the same point by looking at empowerment and equality. As Richard Nixon stated after reading Jenkin's biography of Disreali, "It is Tory men with liberal principles who change the world".
That is why Nixon started the Environmental Protection Agency and reached out to China. That is also why Kufuor introduced NHIS and School Feeding. To be fair, the introduction of a policy, as good as Free SHS does not equal success.
However, given how much we lose to corruption, this policy and the government which introduced it deserve support. The NDC must help this policy to succeed, so that we can set the pace in tackling Africa's educational challenges.
Amongst these are inadequate access and poor quality at the primary level. As Bill Gates stated while on a tour to promote school lunch, "School lunch in particular is about education; getting kids to come so that they are energetic enough to really learn while they are there". He is right.
According to the Learning barometer by Brookings institute, in Nigeria, Ethiopia and Zambia, half of children do NOT learn basic skills by the end of primary school. This trend exist all over the continent.
At the tertiary level, while enrollment doubled between 2000 and 2010, according to Harvard Business Review, African Universities are "decoupled from societies or markets".
No wonder that of the 10 million graduates from African Universities who graduated 2 years ago, half are still unemployed. The article suggested that African Universities should focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
Unfortunately, even Science universities produce more arts graduates than science graduates. As educationists at every level, without commensurate resource investments in infrastructure and personnel, improved access may reduce quality.
Meanwhile, despite having 46% of the world's arable land, in 2016, Africa spent 35 billion USD importing food.
Add to these brain-drain and adult illiteracy and the scope of Africa's problem is clear.
We should commend the GHANA government and urge others to emulate them instead of criticising them. Ideology should not matter. As Deng Xiaping said, "It does not matter whether a cat is white or black as long as it catches mice". Let Africa move forward on education.
Source: Arthur K Email: [email protected]
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YEBOPOWER, you've brought light upon this free shs. you ring my bell, Thanx By the way it's not only America that is funding free education from primary school to the college, but even you can't afford university tuition without loan in American. In europe here, education is being funded by the goverments even to the university.
eei out of your shell now. ok ok we have heard your voice and thank you for your advise. Is it the same person who said Nana cannot rule this nation or another destroyer eei hahah. the chickens are home to roast hmm
Here is an intelligent essay that drives at why the education system should intensify efforts to educate and restructure, even as it drives for growth, the contents of the curricula with which our learning institutions now burdened.The governments in developing economies are under-performing to the detriment of growth.
USSSSLESSS MAN, GOD HAS DISGRACED U, U WILLL REMAIN IN EXIL FOR EVER, FOOOLISH ATTA KENEDY , ANTI PROGRESS PEOPLE FROM GH PP
Is this free shs thing sustainable? saint akufo addo claims that he will use oil money to fund the program. the truth of the matter is Ghana is not yet a net exporter of crude oil. l am not a nay sayer . I am all for the good of the country. but l think some critical questions needed to be asked. any country that tries to imitate American educational system will fail. this is because American has a dynamic local , state and federal support system that funds free education from perhaps preschool through primary and elementary level as well as the middle school through the collection and disbursement of taxes. they don't fund their educational system through the reliance of raw materials because they understand it is dangerous and subjected to global price fluctuations. akufo addo must rethink again where he is going to find the money for sustainable free shs . secondly if he wants the free shs to succeed he must begin to pursue an efficient tax system devoid of stealing. Ghanaians don't like paying taxes and the few that pay taxes the politicians tend to steal it into their pockets. thirdly if all these millions of free shs students graduate from the secondary level, are the universities able to absorb all of them? what is the end game. finally , does the country has an industrial base to employ all these students for employment purposes. let us not forget that our education system lacks creativity and innovation. students are not taught to start their own companies and business and the support system is lacking . the education system is based off on go to school , graduate and look up for government job. hence we already have an abundance of unemployed graduates who have become a burden to society . most have become pastors without any credible calling creating more misery in Ghanaian society. government must address the end game. jobs jobs jobs is the solution to anything you may call a flagship.
Arthur Kennedy, you see how SHAMEFUL you have been? Shame unto you. Ghana is working again. Atamfour af3re!!!
For once you're sounding like a rational , logical objective minded intellectual. That's what it's expected of learned statesmen like you who have had the privilege of living in the western world. You and I know pretty well that politics don't have a place when it comes to issues of national importance like education and health in such places. I salute you for this .
I hope this looser is not trying to go and "CHASE THE ELEPHANT BACK HOME" After reaming up with his comrade spoilers (Tarzan and Nyaho T), he is trying to make himself relevant? Fire burn you people! God punish you in leaps and bounds. Ofuiiii!
Auther K is regretted his actions, but it too late.
Skin pain man. This pseudo game changer of yours will not earn you any place in our beloved NPP Government. Stay pitifully ensconced in the ***barred word***.