Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has challenged former president John Mahama to come clear on better alternative policies he has for the Free Senior High School programme.
Dr. Bawumia believes Mahama has no better alternative policy to the current double track system under Free SHS policy.

The Vice President compared the double track system to that of the rotational church system.

He wondered if a church would drive away the excess congregation if there were not enough chairs to accommodate the excess people.

“If you have a church and you have more and more people coming to your church but you do not have enough seats in the church do you drive them away?

“You do first, second and third service if you need to do it. You do not say go home until I build another church before you come to church and so this is the thinking behind the double track system. We will double track until we complete the construction of all the facilities and we are going to complete the facilities,” Dr. Bawumia said.

“It is therefore interesting to hear former President Mahama say yesterday that, now he is committed to free SHS education but he says he will review it when he comes," he added.

The Free SHS programme was one of the flagship campaign promises of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) during the 2016 elections.

The policy was subsequently rolled out in September 2017, allowing students to enrol into public secondary schools without paying fees.

Although a lack of funds gave the programme a shaky start, there is no doubt that it has helped increase enrolment.

However, the NDC and its flagbearer Mahama have vowed to review the Free SHS policy should the party return to power in 2020.