Will Free SHS now be fair?

I know this article will not go without insults but I pledge to accept them in good faith though I wonder if that is the correct way of treating each other. Anyway, I do not intend to write on insults and media abuse but to contribute to the on-going debate of Free SHS Education or Infrastructural Expansion of SHS. Gradually, Ghanaian politics is moving towards policy options than personality options, which is really positive and I am proud of my country. It is in this vein that feel, I must be part of this discussion.

The two divergent views dominating the SHS education are slippery. Putting the vote hunting motives aside, they are both looking at how to make SHS education accessible. Two fundamental problems have been identified; Poverty and Lack of SHS facilities. Here is where I think managerial prowess is needed: two approaches have emerged one that thinks the accessibility problem is first and foremost due to financial difficulties and then facilities ranks second. The other thinks, otherwise lack of SHS facilities is the first obstacle then follows poverty. Lets be it be clear that both acknowledges the poverty and lack of facilities however the difference is basically on the ranking. The argument is almost like the question; A Teacher and a Classroom which one is needed first?

Taking the first argument, it proposes that the drawing back element of education is poverty. Without doubt, it is true. Poverty continues to be one of the hindrances of education. A lot of young people would like to pursue secondary and tertiary education but are blocked by poverty. Taking myself as an example, I come from a poor family, I desired to study but at a certain point in life, life became so difficult especially when my father went on pension. During holidays, I had to do construction works and by-day in order to buy few things for school. At JHS in order to pay my extra-classes fees, I undertook the work of a cobbler (shoe-shine boy). Slowly, slowly I am who I am today. In this sense, there is not doubt in my mind that poverty is a very key factor to tackle as far as education is concern. Based on this, the proponents of this argument think making education free is the best option. However, it is claimed that the education in the northern regions are free, yet statistics, referring to Census 2010, table 18 of Ghana statistical board, make it clear that in the entire country it is only in the northern regions have illiteracy rate higher than literacy rate of people above 15 year, yet in these three regions, they have free education. Hence the question will free SHS address this problem? On the contrary, all the southern regions according to the statistics have higher literacy rate compared to illiteracy rate, even though education is not free in these regions. The question I posed is based on the fact that, I know a lot of young people from these regions (northen regions) who would like to have SHS education but can not.

The second argument, opines that though there is poverty but averagely people can afford with a certain level of subsidy. For them, the main drawing back element of Ghanaian SHS education is lack of facilities and have even gone ahead in the manifesto to promise 200 SHS in various communities. One of the arguments they make regarding poverty is that, if there are SHS located in the communities, there wouldn't be a need for boarding school which cost so much. Hence children could stay home and have the SHS education. On another pedestal, they argue that scarce infrastructures have caused education to be expensive because students have to the travel, even parents may have to pay some headmasters to have their wards admitted. Etc. Hence they think once there are enough schools, the rush for admission with the undercover envelopes being demanded will drastically reduce; there will be less burden and children would have no reason to say I didn't get admission. Well, this also reminds me of a little girl from Atibie-Kwahu who had to stay home for one more year to try her luck if she will get admission in one of the schools around. The story of this girl was that the schools she chose were all full and the computer placement gave her a school in the north. Knowing this girl's family, its obvious that even lorry fair to Kumasi will be a problem.

Having looked at these two options, I still have some observation to make. First, it is without doubt that the SHS schools in Ghana if they are not full they are 5% percent empty. Second, it is not new to know that most of the young people are not in school because the few schools available claim to be full and so to really get admission one has give an envelop. Third, it is no news to know that some good number of young people are not in school because there no schools near-by which they can easily attend while staying at home will less financial burden: On this point I remember how I had to struggle to buy my students mattress and at times I didn't report in school on time because of just lorry-fair, as for the school feels I could pay it in bits and pieces. Fourth, certainly the number of SHS we have now can not take quarter more should SHS be free, at the end it will be the same number or little more. Fifth, those who don't have SHS nearby or in their communities will not in anyway be fortunate should SHS be free. I am raising these issues because one, the proponents of free SHS have not committed themselves to great infrastructural expansion as far as SHS is concerned in the manifesto. And two, they claim they will start it next year, making one wonder when they would expand infrastructure if they have to, which they must.

Will free SHS now be fair? This question was inspired by statement attributed to Okyehene: If ministers have free cars why can't children have free education? Besides the fact that the argument could be logically tricky, the same could be said; If Amoatia Oforipanyin is a chief, why can't others be chiefs? The argument could also be put in a different ways, if some children have classrooms to study, why can others have the same? Or if some communities have secondary schools, why can't others have? Besides these questions, is principle of equal distribution of the national cake which all espouse. This principle brings me to think and question if it will be fair to take money meant for building SHS facilities for communities that lack them and use it for free SHS program for the communities that already have them. Let's remember that even some communities don't have JHS.

This is not to cast doubt of free SHS, it is possible but care should be taken. It should not be like increasing the number of years for SHS without expanding the facilities. In sum, there is something I am sure every policy analyst will accept that the SHS classrooms are not empty because people can't pay school fees but they are overcrowded because the facilities are scarce. A good number of young people are not in SHS not because they can't pay school fees but because they didn't get admission.

Be it free SHS or more SHS, the fundamental question is not if it is possible, because in Africa you only need to sign a paper declaring it free like the extension of the SHS years and the single spine instead the question should be; Is it fair to further make SHS free for those who already have the infrastructure when others don't even have the schools?

Yirpaale Sondah