Former President John Dramani Mahama has chided President Nana Akufo-Addo for the continuous refusal of his government to review the flagship free senior high school program.
According to Mr Mahama, government’s politicization of education, and sacrificing quality for quantity, has degenerated into inadequate feeding of boarding students.
He said President Akufo-Addo could have saved parents from psychological trauma if his government had engaged private schools in reviewing the free senior high school program.
Addressing delegates at the 8th Biennial Delegate Conference of the Ghana National Association of Private School (GNAPS) in Koforidua, former President John Mahama who indicated that free senior high school has come to stay, called on government to consider a national stakeholders’ conference to review its implementation.
“The time is now for us to rise to the occasion and collectively agree as actors in the political and developmental space on the need to depoliticise issues of urgent priority such as education delivery in our country.”
He also stressed that quality of education was just as important as access.
“What is the use of education if it does not have the quality to give the learner a chance and opportunity in life,” the former President quizzed.
Mr. Mahama who further indicated that a future NDC government will prioritize building a strong foundation at the primary level, called on government to treat students in both private and public schools equal.
“If you don’t get it right at the primary and basic level, whatever you do at the secondary level is a wasted effort. You need to build a strong foundation at the basic level.”
