Free SHS was constitutionally mandated, not NPP’s invention - Joshua Alabi

Professor Joshua Alabi, Campaign Manager for former President John Dramani Mahama, has clarified the origins and future of Ghana’s Free Senior High School (SHS) policy, stating that it was enshrined in the 1992 Constitution and was not an innovation of the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government. According to Alarbi, Free SHS was conceived long before the NPP’s tenure, with broad input from stakeholders like business groups, market women, and the Hairdressers Association.

Explaining the history, Prof. Alabi noted that the NDC laid the groundwork for Free SHS under President Mahama’s Progressive Free SHS policy, which began incrementally and prioritized necessary infrastructure. The E-Block project, launched under Mahama, aimed to build more schools to address the capacity challenges anticipated with expanding access to secondary education. However, the 2016 election loss halted further developments.

“The Free SHS is constitutionally mandated,” Prof. Alabi stated. “Unfortunately, some people want to take sole credit for the policy. When the NPP came to power, they implemented Free SHS abruptly, which led to significant challenges because of inadequate planning,” he explained, adding that a lack of foresight contributed to the double-track system and overcrowding.

Prof. Alabi outlined how the NDC plans to improve the Free SHS program if it wins the 2024 election, emphasizing that a review does not mean cancellation, as the NPP has claimed. Instead, the NDC’s strategy would focus on enhancing accessibility by completing all E-Blocks and ongoing school construction, as well as extending Free SHS to private schools to reduce pressure on government institutions.

He further explained that to improve the quality of education, the NDC would decentralize school feeding grants, allowing headmasters and bursars to purchase food directly from local markets. “This will boost the local economy while ensuring students receive the nutrition they need,” he said.

In addition to expanding access and decentralizing food procurement, the NDC plans to address resource shortages, including textbooks, to support better learning outcomes. “When we create enough space, eliminate the double-track system, and ensure teachers are well-rested, students will receive higher-quality education,” Prof. Alabi emphasized.

Concluding his remarks, Prof. Alabi urged Ghanaians to vote for Mahama in 2024, promising a refined, accessible, and effective Free SHS program that will foster educational quality and relieve overcrowded government schools.