USE YOUR THUMBS TO PROTECT FREE SHS – Varsity dons tell Jukwa, Heman, and Lower Denkyira constituents

A group of university lecturers under the banner of University Teachers for Free SHS Ghana has called on residents of Jukwa, Heman, and Lower Denkyira in the Central Region to safeguard the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy by voting for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidates in the upcoming 2024 general elections.
The lecturers, as part of a nationwide campaign targeting the Central, Upper East, and Upper West regions, emphasized the transformative impact of the Free SHS policy and stressed that its continuation hinges on the re-election of the NPP.

The lecturers include Dr. Eric Boachie Yiadom, Senior Lecturer at UPSA; Dr. Amos Apraku, Senior Lecturer at UENR; Dr. Frank Bannor, Lecturer at GIMPA; Prof. Eugene Darteh, Professor at UCC; and Dr. Leticia Bosu, Lecturer at UCC. Others are Dr. Robert Owusu Boakye, Lecturer at UPSA; Dr. Akwetey Henry Matey, Lecturer at UPSA; Hon. Lawrence K. Aziale, Lecturer at UPSA; Emmanuel Owusu, Lecturer at UEW; Dr. Justice Kwaku Addo, Senior Lecturer at UCC; and Prof. Isaac Boadi, Dean of the Faculty of Finance & Accounting at UPSA.

Speaking in an interview on Bankam 95.1 FM in Jukwa, Central Region, on Friday, November 22, 2024, they encouraged parents, students, and community members to “use your thumbs to protect Free SHS” and secure the educational future of Ghanaian youth.

Preserve

Dr. Eric Boachie Yiadom, Senior Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), highlighted the critical role of voters in preserving the gains made under the Free SHS initiative. He argued that the NPP’s leadership, with Dr. Bawumia as its flagbearer, is best positioned to sustain the policy.
“Free SHS has opened doors for millions of children who otherwise would have been denied access to secondary education due to financial constraints. This policy is too important to risk. Use your thumbs to vote for Dr. Bawumia and the NPP parliamentary candidates to protect this initiative,” Dr. Boachie Yiadom urged.

Dr. Boachie Yiadom further warned that any change in government could jeopardize the progress made since the policy’s inception in 2017, citing the opposition National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) past record on social policies like the National Health Insurance Scheme.

Transformation

Dr. Frank Bannor, a lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), emphasized the policy’s profound impact on bridging the educational gap between rural and urban areas.

“Since the introduction of Free SHS, enrollment in secondary schools has significantly increased, with gender parity also improving. Families that once struggled to pay school fees can now focus on supporting their children academically. The future of Ghana depends on the continuity of this program,” he remarked.

He pointed out that the Free SHS program had become a lifeline for many communities, particularly in underserved areas. According to Dr. Bannor, protecting the policy is not just a matter of education but a broader investment in Ghana’s socio-economic development.

He explained that Mahama’s proposal to modify the Free SHS policy is just particularly to introduce a tiered system where fees for ‘Category A’ schools would be higher, to exclude many students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. According to the lecturers, this move would widen the gap between the rich and poor in terms of access to quality education.

He said Mahama’s plan is not about improving quality for all students. Instead, Dr. Bannor stressed that the NDC flagbearer intends to create a system where only those who can afford high fees would have access to the best schools, leaving the majority of brilliant students—particularly from poor and rural backgrounds—at a disadvantage. “This is elitism in its purest form,” he stated.

Appeal

Taking his turn in the radio discussion, Dr. Leticia Bosu, a lecturer at the University of Cape Coast (UCC), called on parents and students to recognize their role in sustaining the policy.
“Your thumbs hold the power to protect the Free SHS policy. On December 7, vote to ensure this program continues to benefit future generations. It is not just about your children’s education today but also about the opportunities it creates for their future,” Dr. Bosu stated.

She encouraged students to remain committed to their studies, reminding them that the policy has removed significant barriers to their success.

Investment

Professor Eugene Darteh, also from UCC, underscored the substantial investment the government has made in the Free SHS initiative since its implementation. He noted that maintaining such a policy requires political will and financial discipline, qualities he attributed to the NPP.
“Free SHS has cost the government billions of cedis, yet the NPP has remained committed to its vision of inclusive education. Any disruption to this vision could reverse the gains we’ve achieved. The choice is clear: protect this policy by voting for the party that birthed and nurtured it,” Prof. Darteh said.

Double-track

Dr. Amos Apraku, Senior Lecturer at UENR, cautioned against calls to abolish the double-track system in Ghana’s secondary education. He warned that its removal could significantly limit access to free senior high school education for many students.

According to him, the double-track system plays an essential role in the government’s efforts to ensure that more Ghanaian students benefit from the Free SHS policy. He stated that it was introduced to accommodate the growing demand for secondary education, especially in highly sought-after schools with limited infrastructure, thus allowing more students to enroll than would otherwise be possible.

Dr. Apraku acknowledged that as certain schools expand their facilities and infrastructure, some have already been able to phase out the double-track system.
This shift, he explained, demonstrates the government’s commitment to eventually return to a single-track system as capacity grows across the educational sector. He highlighted that government’s recent commissioning of over 80 educational projects across all 16 regions of Ghana, these initiatives are poised to accommodate a larger number of students
The lecturers’ campaign to protect the Free SHS policy forms part of a broader advocacy initiative aimed at strengthening public understanding of the policy’s benefits and mobilizing support for the NPP ahead of the 2024 elections.