John Mahama, the former president, has reaffirmed his commitment to tackling the obstacles that face the Free Senior High School policy’s implementation.
As part of his initial campaign trip in the Upper East Region for the 2024 election, he emphasized at a rally in Binduri that the policy will not be repealed.
On the other hand, he pledged to raise standards and increase quality of instruction after implementation.
“Anyone who claims that JM is heading to cancel free SHS is a major lie. Mahama is here to make the Free SHS a better one. The Free SHS is here to stay, but we’re coming to make it a better one,” he said.
To this end, the 2024 election Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) stated that he would invest in completing abandoned school projects and expanding existing ones to create the needed infrastructure for the policy to thrive.
The move, he said, would help to remove the double track system and improve contact hours in schools.
“…I wish to assure you that when we come, we are going to invest and finish all the abandoned E-Blocks…we are also going to expand the facilities in the existing schools so we can create access to Ghanaian children.
“We are doing this to stop the double track system as soon as possible because we cannot afford the situation where our children come home and stay home for three to four months before they go back to school.,” he added.
To address the irregular food supply to second cycle schools menace, the former President noted that head teachers of the various schools would be allowed to procure food for their schools instead of relying on the national buffer stock.
This, he said, would ensure that quality and healthy food were served to the students while boosting the local economies of those communities.
The former President Mahama further promised to create job opportunities for young people when elected to power.
Mahama asked the electorates to vote for him and his parliamentary candidates to ensure he had a majority in parliament as president to enable him to turn the fortunes of the economy.
The former President was accompanied by Professor Joshua Alabi, his National Campaign, Mr Cletus Avoka, Member of Parliament for Zebilla, Mr Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku Central, Mr Issifu Mahoud, Parliamentary candidate for Binduri, Mrs Joyce Bawah Mogtari, his Spokesperson and other party executives