Free SHS suffering under NDC gov’t- Dr Bawumia

Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has expressed dissatisfaction with the management of the Free Senior High School (SHS) programme by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government. During his address at the NPP’s National Delegates Conference in Kumasi, Bawumia criticized several aspects of the initiative, including students' meals, placement of graduates, and the continued use of a double-track system.

Bawumia stated that the NDC had promised to enhance the provision of meals but claimed that the conditions had worsened instead. He alleged that parents were now facing difficulties securing placements for their children after they completed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), with some graduates being left out of the placement process altogether.

Additionally, Bawumia criticized the NDC for not abandoning the double-track system, which was implemented due to the expansion of enrolment under the Free SHS programme.

The NPP leader's remarks on Saturday, October 3, also drew attention to the party's prior opposition to the Free SHS program. He argued that the NDC had previously criticized and opposed the initiative, labeling it as a failure, until they realized its impact on households across Ghana. Bawumia maintained that the Free SHS programme would function more efficiently under an NPP administration, as it was the party that initiated the policy.