Source: Emmanuella Sarfo-Ntow

The leader of the Movement for Change, Alan Kwadwo Kyerematen says there must be a comprehensive review of the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.

According to him, the Free SHS is a good policy and has enhanced access to education for many people.

Alan Kyerematen

Speaking on JoyNews on June 25, Mr Kyerematen stated that he has a criteria by which the Free SHS would be reviewed.

“After 7 years, almost 8 years, a national programme of this nature must undergo a comprehensive review. One of the first things I will do is to undertake a comprehensive review. Not just reviewing it for the sake of reviewing it. I have indicated the criteria for the review.”

“Financial sustainability. Is it financially sustainable? Number two, what are the infrastructural requirements that can sustain the free SHS.”

According to Mr Kyerematen, the Free SHS is a good idea but if the financial implications are not analysed, it will fail.

“If you don’t analyse the financial implications, the infrastructure requirements, the curriculum requirements, even analysing what to do with the graduates of Free SHS. We cannot have a situation where, if you produce people, you cannot guarantee them a job.”

“Let us as a country undertake this comprehensive review. The policy itself is a good one to enhance enrollment. But the implementation and the operationalisation of it has to be reviewed,” he said.

According to him, after the Free SHS policy has been reviewed, a decision can be made on how to structure it carefully.

He stated that, if the Free SHS policy is going to be maintained, there should be a framework governing the operationalisation.

“At that point, we have had a very comprehensive look at the policy and then we can as a people decide that, now that we know how to operationalize it, we can then legislate on it so it becomes a permanent future.”