Deputy Ranking Member on the Education Committee of Parliament, Clement Abass Apaak, has challenged the Minister of Education and the Majority Leader to clarify the proposed Free SHS (FSHS) bill, which seeks to protect the policy from cancellation by successive government.
According to him, Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin had said on the floor of Parliament that the proposed bill had already received Cabinet approval and was in transition to Parliament.
The Member of Parliament for Builsa South noted that, he has read from other media outlets that the Minister of Education, Yaw Adutwum has said the yet-to-be-seen bill is not to protect the FSHS as mentioned by the Majority Leader on the floor of Parliament but seeks to cancel the BECE for SHS admission, making SHS a 6-year program.
He stated that, if indeed the report is true, it raises serious questions regarding the purpose of the yet-to-be-seen FSHS Bill as originally announced by the Majority Leader.
“While we wait for the proposed bill, it is obvious from the report by the Minister for Education that it is more of a bill seeking to review, restructure, and redefine aspects of our pre-tertiary educational system rather than protect the FSHS in its current form” Dr. Apaak stated.
The Deputy Ranking Member on Education added that, removing the BECE and combining JHS and SHS into a 6-year secondary system is a major undertaking that should require a serious national stakeholders dialogue.
He mentioned that, sadly, no consultations have been carried out, and there is no indication of input from key stakeholders in the educational space as far as they know.
“Our position as a party and a Caucus remains the same. Any bill or legislation intended to address the FSHS policy implementation challenges, and to make the programme sustainable, is welcome. Let us restate that John Dramani Mahama and the NDC believe that the FSHS policy is a good policy and do not hate it as some in the NPP falsely claim. How can we not like a policy we began implementing in 2015?” the Builsa South MP noted.
Mr. Apaak explained that, given the apparent contradictions between what the Majority Leader and the Minister, they must not and cannot discuss the proposed bill any further until they see it and study its contents.
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