The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has raised concerns over what it describes as a decline in the quality of the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) programme under the John Mahama administration, warning that parents are increasingly being left to shoulder costs previously covered by government.
Deputy General Secretary of the NPP, Haruna Mohammed, said several essential items that were provided to students under the Akufo-Addo administration were no longer being supplied to the same standard.
According to him, the differences are evident in the provision of school uniforms, textbooks and other learning materials required by students.
Speaking on Breakfast Daily on Channel One TV on Wednesday, September 9, Haruna Mohammed said the current implementation of the policy could place additional financial pressure on families if the situation persists.
“Free Senior High School under His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is not the same thing under this government,” he said.
The NPP executive also expressed concern over reports of food shortages in some senior high schools, as well as complaints about the quality of meals served to students.
He cited concerns raised by the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) over food supplies as an indication of what he described as broader challenges confronting the implementation of the programme.
“What we were promised, for them even to be buying the food on their own has not been materialized. A lot of things are ongoing. Food quality is something that affects the school children,” he stated.
Haruna Mohammed argued that adequate feeding and the timely provision of learning materials were essential to maintaining the quality of education and ensuring that the Free SHS policy delivered its intended benefits.
He maintained that the challenges being reported in schools were contributing to what he described as a decline in the standard of education under the programme.
“The quality in that particular educational setup is low. It’s not the same standard,” he added.
The NPP official therefore urged the government to address concerns surrounding the supply of food, learning materials and other essential items to prevent the policy from creating additional financial obligations for parents.
He said preserving the quality of Free SHS should remain a priority alongside maintaining access, particularly as the programme was introduced to reduce the financial barriers that previously prevented some families from sending their children to senior high school.
His comments add to the ongoing political debate over the implementation of Free SHS, with the opposition maintaining that the sustainability of the policy must be measured not only by enrolment and access but also by the quality of education and support provided to students.
