“We can’t trust flip-flop Mahama with Free SHS”

The advocacy group, University Teachers for Free SHS Ghana, has cast doubt on the credibility of former President and NDC Flagbearer John Mahama regarding the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy. The group, which includes academics from various institutions, has labeled Mr. Mahama as a “flip-flop” leader, asserting that his inconsistent stance on the policy makes him untrustworthy.

The lecturers contend that Mr. Mahama cannot be relied upon to protect or enhance the Free SHS initiative. They argue that his administration failed to implement the NDC’s own proposed “progressive free education” program and strongly criticized the introduction of Free SHS under the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Record of opposition

In an interview on Asaase Radio 100.3 in Cape Coast, on Friday, November 22, 2024 as part of their campaign to raise awareness and support for the Free SHS policy, Prof. Isaac Boadi, Dean of Faculty of Finance & Accounting, UPSA, shared an extensive history of the party’s skepticism and vocal resistance.
He noted that during the 2012 election campaign, the NDC launched approximately 47 advertisements aimed at discrediting the promise of Free SHS made by then-candidate Nana Akufo-Addo, with many party members considering it an unrealistic dream.
He mentioned that in the lead-up to the 2016 elections, then-President John Mahama famously criticized the policy. “Ghana must not implement Free SHS on the whimsical promises of a desperate politician,” Mahama said, warning of potential failures akin to those experienced in other African countries that had tried free education. Prof. Boadi also referenced Mahama’s 2012 speech in Okere, where the former president claimed, “Free SHS will collapse the education system of Ghana.” In another instance, Mahama dismissed the program as a mere “political gimmick” while speaking at the University of Cape Coast in 2016.
Prof. Boadi enumerated comments from other prominent NDC members who opposed Free SHS. Former Education Minister Lee Ocran in 2012 remarked, “Free SHS can only be possible in 2032, in 20 years.” Hajia Joyce Zeinabu, then National Women Organizer, warned in 2016 that the policy would “breed teenage pregnancies.” In 2018, General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketiah labeled the policy “shambolic” and suggested it would need to be scrapped. Elder Ofosu Ampofo, the NDC National Chairman, also claimed that the Double Track system under Free SHS was causing teenage pregnancies.
He criticized these comments and expressed concern over the potential risks of the policy being reversed or weakened. “It is dangerous if we, as university lecturers, don’t wage a frontal war to protect Free SHS,” he said, noting that the government has invested over 10 billion cedis in the initiative.

Trust?

Taking his turn in the discussion, Dr. Frank Bannor, a Development Economist and Lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA), also pointed out that for years, Mr. Mahama and the NDC had dismissed Free SHS as unrealistic and unsustainable. “For eight years, John Mahama and his party were vocal in their opposition to Free SHS and Free TVET. They rubbished the idea at every opportunity, proclaiming that it would destroy Ghana’s educational system,” he indicated.
He highlighted several past statements made by Mr. Mahama, including his assertion that if he had ¢2 billion, he would not spend it on Free SHS. This, he said, undermines his recent pledge to improve the policy. “Something you said was not going to be possible—how do you now claim you’ll make it better?” Dr. Bannor questioned.
According to him, Mr. Mahama’s newfound support for Free SHS and Free TVET is merely an electoral gimmick designed to sway voters. “John Mahama has zero credibility when it comes to Free SHS,” he stated. “We cannot trust him with the Free SHS policy. His track record shows he does not believe in it, and his promises are not backed by any genuine commitment.”
Dr. Bannor criticized Mr. Mahama’s inconsistency on critical national policies, describing it as a hallmark of his leadership style. “How can someone who vehemently opposed Free SHS now claim to be its champion?” they asked. “This flip-flop behavior is why Ghanaians cannot entrust him with such a transformative initiative.”
He further indicated Mahama’s free SHS 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.
Dr. Bannor argued that Mahama’s plan will create an education system that is even more unequal, with a clearer division between elite schools and others. He further pointed out that Free SHS has achieved gender parity in education. “Because of Free SHS, we have gender parity at the SHS level for the first time in Ghana’s history,” he said, addressing the previous norm where boys were prioritized over girls in education.

Referendum

For his part, Dr. Eric Boachie Yiadom, Senior Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), described Ghana’s 2024 general election as a pivotal referendum on the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy. He argued that the election’s outcome will determine the fate of this transformative educational initiative.
He emphasized that the Free SHS policy, introduced by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2017, has revolutionized access to education for millions of Ghanaian youths. He stated that the upcoming election represents a choice between safeguarding and expanding the policy or risking its derailment under a different administration.
Dr. Boachie Yiadom lauded the NPP for its bold introduction of the Free SHS initiative, despite the economic challenges that accompanied its implementation. He described the NPP as the “biological parent”of the policy, which he argued ensures the party’s unwavering commitment to its growth and sustainability.
“The NPP has proven its dedication to the Free SHS policy, nurturing it from its inception and overcoming significant economic hurdles to ensure its success. They are the biological parents of this initiative, and their stewardship guarantees its continuity and expansion. We must vote Dr. Bawumia to safeguard the Free SHS. It is non-negotiable,” Dr. Boachie remarked.
He further accused the opposition party of mismanaging critical policies in the past, such as the near-collapse of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). He questioned the NDC’s capability to handle the Free SHS program effectively if given the mandate.
“The NDC’s promises to ‘better manage’ Free SHS lack credibility, given their history of neglect and mismanagement. When a policy as transformative as this is at stake, entrusting it to those with a questionable track record is a risk we cannot afford to take,” he stated.

Double track

Finally, Dr. Robert Owusu Boakye, Lecturer at UPSA, rubbished claims that the Free Senior High School programme and the double-track system have adversely affected education in the country. He said contrary to claims that the two programmes have reduced the quality of education, records at the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) indicate that Ghanaian students perform better than others from neighbouring countries.
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. Owusu Boakye referenced the Mo Ibrahim Foundation’s Financing Africa Report, which ranked Ghana as the second-best nation in Africa for “Highest Quality Education.” He explained that this ranking aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which seeks to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
According to the report, Ghana achieved a score of 84.5 on the SDG education index, securing the second position, while Tunisia led with a score of 93.1 and was recognized as the African country with the “Highest Quality Education.”
“Following Ghana, Namibia ranked third with a score of 83.7, Mauritius was fourth with 83.5, and Togo placed fifth with 80.1. The subsequent rankings included Cape Verde in sixth place (79.2), Morocco in seventh (78.6), South Africa in eighth (76.6), Eswatini in ninth (74.2), and Kenya in tenth (71.1),” Dr. Boakye added.

Continuity

He reiterated his support for the continuation of the Free SHS policy under the New Patriotic Party (NPP). He lauded the NPP government for its commitment to ensuring that every Ghanaian child has access to quality secondary education without financial barriers.
He urged voters to reflect on the track records of both parties when deciding who to entrust with Ghana’s educational future. “This is about the lives and futures of millions of children. We need leaders who believe in this vision and have shown that they can make it a reality. The Free SHS policy is one of the most important social interventions we have had in this country. It has enabled children from all walks of life to access quality education. If Mahama goes ahead with this elitist approach, it would be a step backwards,” he added.

Source: Bright Philip Donkor