Former President John Mahama has said a future National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will not scrap the free Senior High School programme started by the Akufo-Addo-led government, as is being claimed by a section of the Ghanaian public.

According to him, his criticism of the policy does not mean he is opposed to the programme.

Mr Mahama recently criticised the government over the mode of financing the programme.

The criticism, according to him, was misconstrued by a section of the Ghanaian media to mean that the NDC government will reverse the programme in future.

He wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday, 28 November that: “There are no 'naysayers' when it comes to free SHS. After all it was recognised and enshrined in our constitution by the ordinary people of this nation who gathered at the Consultative Assembly and drew up the 1992 constitution.

“Disagreement over the programme is about the optimal pace of implementation. A more carefully considered plan of implementation adopted by broad stakeholder consultation would have resulted in clear policies and guidelines, which would have avoided the current challenges plaguing the programme and putting our students in harm’s way.

“This view is not mine only. Many in the NPP and non-partisan civil society hold the same opinion. It is not too late to hold a national stakeholders forum on the Free SHS Programme in order to carry the whole nation along. The current legacy-seeking and ad hoc manner of implementation will multiply the current implementational problems over the next 3 years.

“The false publication by a newspaper that the NDC will reverse free SHS is most laughable, false and diversionary.

“Free SHS is constitutional, it must be implemented, but it must be implemented properly according to a clear plan that carries all stakeholders along.”

Source: ClassFMonline.com