General News of Wednesday, 4 May 2022
Source: www.ghanaweb.live
2022-05-04Free SHS should be targeted, it shouldn't be free for all – Prof. Aryeetey
Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey
Prof Aryeetey says parents who can afford should be made to pay fees
Funds used for Free SHS can be used to improve the quality of education - Prof Aryeetey
Government must review Free SHS – Prof Adei
Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Ernest Aryeetey, has added his voice to calls made by some
Read full articleGhanaians that Senior High School (SHS) education should not be free for everyone.
Prof Aryeetey indicated that Free SHS should be reserved for Ghanaian students whose parents cannot afford to pay their fees, citinewsroom.com reports.
According to him, the government targeting the policy's beneficiaries would allow it to save some funds that can be used to improve the quantity of education in the country's public SHS'.
"I believe strongly that we need to target people, and the most appropriate way is by means-testing. Means testing by the government will reduce the cost of tuition to the government, and the monies saved, channelled to improving the facilities and providing quality service. We have to find ways of pursuing what best works in our environment. Instead of making SHSs free, why don't we make some free and others payable.
"With that, parents get to make a decision based on their strength. Even with the schools that are not free, scholarship opportunities could be created to allow people who are not financially strong to compete for them. That way, we can drag everyone along, poor or rich," Prof Aryeetey is quoted to have said at a Leadership Dialogue Series by the Centre of Social Justice.
Several stakeholders, including Prof Stephen Adei, have called for a review of the Free SHS policy to allow parents who can afford to pay fees for their wards to help reduce the burden on the government, which is currently facing revenue mobilisation challenges.
However, the government is adamant about these calls and has insisted on implementing the policy despite all the challenges it is having financing it.
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