We Started Free SHS Let’s Continue It - Most Rev. Afrifa-Agyekum Urges

The Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese of the Catholic Church in Ghana, Most Rev. Joseph Afrifa-Agyekum, has bemoaned the lack of continuity in projects started by successive governments.

According to Most. Rev Afrifa-Agyekum, this practice of not completing projects started by previous governments must stop for the country to make progress, 3news.com reports.

The bishop was particularly keen on leaders of the country ensuring that the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy continues irrespective of the government in power.

“We start a project, let us try to continue. I am happy that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo started this Free Senior High School policy. This is a policy that we also need to assist for it to be successful in spite of the challenges that came up at the beginning but I think gradually they are trying to make it up,” he said.

He, however, added that the government must pay attention to the urgent challenges of the programme, particularly, the feeding needs of the students.


“… I also mentioned the buffer stock which is where the headmasters and headmistresses will get their supplies from the suppliers who have been designated. At the beginning it was wonderful, you go to school and the students say they are eating eggs, fish, mackerels, but these days it looks like the situation is becoming more challenging for the heads.

“I think it is an area that we seriously have to look into, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service, so that we unearth the challenges that are causing this issue,” he said.


Meanwhile, several stakeholders, including Prof Stephen Adei have called on the government to review the Free SHS policy to let parents who can afford to, pay fees for their wards.