SHS Freshers Embrace FREE SHS

Some first year students who have gained admission into public Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Western Region have praised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for the implementation of the Free SHS programme.

According to the visibly ecstatic students, the policy had brought great relief to their parents and guardians and promised to study hard to justify the intervention.

This came to light when the Minister for Railways Development, Joe Ghartey, visited some of the senior high schools in the region to assess the progress made in the programme's implementation.

Some of the schools visited included Ghana Secondary Technical School, Adiembra SHS, Archbishop Porter's Senior High School and Daboase SHS.

The minister and his entourage, including the Deputy Western Regional Minister, Gifty Eugenia Kusi, were given a rousing welcome by the first year students of all the schools they visited.

At the Daboase Senior High School, the headmaster, Anthony Insaidoo, explained that as at the time of the minister's visit, the number of boarders admitted into the school was 120, comprising 58 boys and 62 girls.

He added that 104 day students had also reported and indicated that the feeding of day students with one hot meal in the form of lunch had started.

Addressing the students, Mr Joe Ghartey, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Essikado-Ketan, reiterated that the government's flagship programme had brought some relief to parents and guardians, MPs inclusive.

According to him, “The policy has taken away a chunk of items that hitherto had to be paid for by parents and has brought some kind of relief to most parents whose children are in the first year.”

He added, “Students who otherwise would not have gotten the opportunity or have been disadvantaged by virtue of the cost of education relatively have the kind of relief and advantage to apply into the institutions for admission.”

Mr Ghartey advised the fresh students to study very hard and avoid negative tendencies so that they would become responsible adults in future.

On Tuesday, 12th September, 2017, President Nana Ado Dankwa Akufo-Addo launched the Free Senior High School policy at the West African Senior High School (WASS), Adentan in the Greater Accra Region.

However, the policy was rolled out a day before in all public senior high schools throughout the country.