Free SHS: Gov't Intimidating Head Teachers Over Centralize Procurement Plan – Minority

The Minority is accusing government of centralizing procurement processes under the free senior high school programme and threatening head teachers with retribution if they oppose it.

Minority leader, Haruna Iddrisu told the media Monday, head teachers have been cowered into submission because of the fate that awaits them if they kick against the plan.

The leader of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) caucus in Parliament said the change in the procurement arrangement is a “major stab” in the back of the country’s decentralization programme.

“…centralizing procurement can be an avenue for shameless cronyism,” Mr Iddrisu said.

The Minority leader expressed worry that contracts under the programme would be given to only faithful of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

“We still have fresh memories of how a similar approach with the School Feeding Programme at the basic level led to the serving of sub-standard maggot-infested food, mass hospitalization of pupils which all culminated in the Dutch Government pulling out from its sponsorship of the programme,” Mr Iddrisu said.

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is expected to launch free SHS policy on Tuesday.

The programme, an outcome of a campaign promise, will make an admission, examination, library, science laboratory fees free for Junior High School (JHS) graduates who qualify to enter Senior High School.

The enrolment exercise for fresh students at the various SHSs commenced on Monday across the country.

At least over 400,000 students are expected to benefit from the programme but the Minority said that is not satisfactory.

The NDC MPs have raised issues about the status of the continuing students who will have to pay fees, despite the rolling out of the programme.

“Clearly, if the NPP had any modicum of respect for the good people of Ghana, they should at the very least be apologizing to Ghanaians for their inability to fulfil their campaign promises for which they were voted,” Mr Iddrisu said.

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