Asiedu Nketiah Didn’t Say NDC Will Cancel Free Education—Patrick Kwame Atuah Clears the Air
The Ashanti Regional Director of Student Affairs and Elections for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Patrick Kwame Atuah, has refuted claims that Hon. Asiedu Nketia stated that the NDC would cancel free education if it assumed power.
Speaking on Kessben TV’s Punch Show, he addressed the circulation on social media platforms, claiming that Hon. Asiedu Nketia, during an NDC campaign in the Brong Ahafo region, stated that free education would be canceled.
According to Kwame Atuah, there is no truth in these claims. He clarified that Hon. Asiedu Nketia said, “The double-track system would be canceled, not free education.”
Members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) intentionally edited Asiedu Nketia’s speech to make it appear as though the NDC would cancel free education. He added.
Furthermore, Atuah explained that the NDC remains committed to free education but believes that the double-track system’s implementation has significant flaws.
He claimed that students currently spend one year in school and two years at home out of the total three years of schooling, which he described as “not ideal for education.”
To address these issues, he outlined the NDC’s plan, which includes completing community schools left unfinished by the NPP government. This, he noted, would create additional classroom space, enabling a return to the single-track system and providing a stable learning environment for students.
Additionally, Atuah explained that Asiedu Nketia discussed the NDC’s policy on free education. He criticized the current system where food is centralized in buffer stock and later transported to various secondary schools, causing delays in supply.
He added, “This delay negatively impacts students and the economy. Students cannot concentrate fully in class when they are not well fed, and food shortages occur when supplies are delayed.”
The NDC plans to introduce a system where funds for food purchases will be sent directly to school accounts. This will allow school management, including headteachers, bursars, and matrons, to handle expenses and preparation.
Moreover, Atuah expressed disappointment over government officials sharing the manipulated video, which he believes is “an intentional attempt to mislead voters.”
He stressed that Hon. Nketia’s comments were clear: the NDC’s focus is on improving the education system by addressing structural challenges like the double-track system, “not dismantling free education.”
Finally, he urged Ghanaians to disregard the misinformation and vote for former President John Dramani Mahama in the upcoming December 7th elections. He emphasized that Mahama’s leadership would “ensure quality education and a better future for the nation.
Story by: Precious Oforiwaa Agyei
