Movement for Change member Dr. Susan Adu Amankwah has supported the incoming National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s plan to review the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy.
She stated, “It’s okay for the NDC to be enthusiastic about having big things, and it’s good to review things and make them better.”
The free SHS Policy was introduced in 2017 by the outgoing NPP government led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo- Addo and Dr. Bawumia.
Although the policy contributed to the growth of the Ghana’s second circle education, it has faced numerous challenges that needed swift attention.
Hence, the president elect John Mahama and the NDC promised to review the policy when voted in to power during their campaign seasons.
In an interview on GHOne TV with Lily Mohammed on Wednesday December 18, 2024, She criticized the policy’s implementation, predicting its negative long-term consequences.
“The way Free SHS was executed was terrible; we’ll see the terrible effects come a few years down the line; we’ve started seeing them even with the products that come out from the university. The university is waiting to just sack some students who are just not doing well because you can’t repeat them. And these are the products coming from the Free SHS which are loaded onto the universities,” she observed.
Dr. Susan emphasized the need to prioritize quality over quantity in education.
“We looked at quantity over quality; it’s good the NDC will come and review it and ensure that, as much as we have quantity, we have quality so that people coming out from our SHS are the type of products that you can fit anywhere and they’re fit for purpose,” she remarked.