The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, has cautioned Senior High School (SHS) headteachers not to send signals of an attempt to sabotage the government’s Free SHS Policy.
He indicated the actions of some schools trumpeting lack of infrastructure for new entrants though the schools managed to cope with an equal or a greater number of students who completed the 2016/2017 academic year could be interpreted as an attempt to sabotage the flagship policy.
Mr Amewu gave the caution when speaking to a group of journalists after monitoring the registration process of the first beneficiaries of the Free SHS at some selected schools in the Volta Region.
“My point is that if 650 students have left the school and now you are taking 450 and previously those 650 were living in dormitories and in classrooms, it means there is a vacancy for 650 but now you have 450 and you are complaining of infrastructure? If you do that, you send a wrong signal,” he stated.
He, therefore, assured of government’s commitment to improving infrastructure at the schools and urged the headteachers to support the government to ensure the objectives of the Free SHS policy are archived.
He, however, counseled parents who are worried about the sustainability of the Akufo-Addo-led-government’s Free SHS policy to lay their minds to rest.
“Some parents don’t believe it, some think that by next week they will be called to make payments, but that is not it. It is free and free and free forever”, he stressed.
The Minister who was satisfied with the numbers that have reported to school so far urged parents whose children are yet to be placed in schools to exercise patience adding “there has been an extension on placement and we are hoping that by next week placement will be completed.”
