The Member of Parliament for Ketu South Fifi Fiavi Kwetey has said the introduction of the double tracking system is a clear indication that the government has woefully failed in the implementation of the free SHS policy.
“The double-track system is simply an admission that we have completely failed as a government to make the proper provision for infrastructure,” the former Deputy Finance Minister told Starr News’ Ibrahim Alhassan.
“NPP has been trumpeting free SHS since 2008 and all these while you did not know that you needed the necessary investment to expand infrastructure based on the numbers as you could see. It’s clearly an indictment on the government of the day,” he added.
Over 400,000 students are taking part in the double track system introduced by government.
The system, which began this September will see one set of students in school whiles others are on vacation. The students have been put on green and gold tracks with the students on green starting school this month while those on gold tracks resume school in November
The double tracking system is expected to last for seven years and it is a stop-gap measure employed by the government to accommodate the surge in enrolment under the free SHS policy.
Meanwhile, in separate development Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia says the implementation of the Free SHS policy has saved and will continue to save the parents of beneficiary students thousands of Ghana cedis.
“The President Akufo-Addo Government has eased the burden of hundreds of thousands of Ghanaians and invested in the future of our children.
“Apart from building a strong human capital for the future, there are immediate cash benefits to the parents. In practical terms, the parent of a first-year Day SHS student is saving GHC 1,075.41. For a parent with a Day TVET student, the saving is GHS1, 175.41.
“For a parent with a boarding SHS student, you save GHS2, 015.22, while a parent with a boarding TVET student saves GHS 2,115.22.
“Over a 3-year period, a parent with a boarding SHS student would have saved nearly GHS 5,534.43 (or about 55 million old cedis). The savings is about 110 million old cedis if you have 2 children going through the free SHS.
“If you are a small business person or a trader, this is substantial savings that can be invested in your business without having to take a loan from the bank.”
“The Free SHS programme, is therefore not only helping to educate our children but is also helping families to save and use that savings to invest in small businesses. Free SHS has really lifted a burden off the shoulder of parents,” said Dr Bawumia Monday at the 4th National Policy Summit in Tamale
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
