Free SHS Policy -The Education ministry has some bad news for students held back during their secondary education for non-performance. According to reports, repeated students will not be catered for in their extra year of study under the Free Senior High School (SHS) education policy. This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, during a press conference on July 27, 2017.
In clearer terms, the Free SHS policy has been designed to run for a period of three years for each student, which is the expected duration of the study. However, should a student fail to complete his secondary education as a result of poor academic performance, the government will not support the individual financially.
if you go to the first year, we will pay. You repeat your first year in year two we will pay. When you get to the second year in year three we will pay. But for year four we won’t
Dr. Prempeh said responding to a question on the status of students who get repeated per the Free SHS policy.
Prior to the 2016 elections, President Nana Addo had promised, that his government will ensure that Ghanaians who qualify for SHS are not burdened with financial difficulties. Under the free SHS policy, beneficiaries will not have to pay admission fees, library fees, science center fees, no computer lab fees, no examination fees and no utility fees, according to the government.
Furthermore, the policy will also cover agricultural, vocational and technical institutions at the secondary school level. This policy will start off in the 2017/18 academic session which is in September 2017.
However, the Fre SHS policy raised eyebrows among some political stakeholders who expressed doubts over its implementation. Policy think tank IMANI had queried that although the idea was a good one, such policy may not pull through considering the country’s dwindling economy.
But the undeterred Nana Addo government has gone ahead with the plans and it is set to take off in September 2017.
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