A National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer hopeful, Goosie Tanoh, believes the NDC can make the free Senior High School programme better if given the nod.
He said the New Patriotic Party has no excuse for its haphazard implementation of the free SHS programme because the party started campaigning with the social intervention policy since 2012.
“The free SHS is a good idea but unfortunately for a party that has been espousing since 2012 the free SHS idea, it came to implementation completely unprepared,” he said on The Point of View on Citi TV.
According to Goosie Tanoh, the free SHS programme is a laudable initiative, but its implementation was not well thought through saying an NDC government with social democratic roots will find innovative ways of resolving issues confronting the initiative.“I think that as a social democratic party we should own that programme and say that we can do it better. You can see the problems they are having implementing it because they have not thought through.”
The free SHS programme was implemented by the Akufo-Addo government in 2017 giving free education to students in senior high schools beginning with first-year fresh students.
Some analysts and politicians argued that the programme was not sustainable due to funding which is likely to adversely affect government’s expenditure.
Due to lack of facilities, government is now adopting what it calls double track system to enroll more students at the senior high level to enable more people enjoy the free SHS programme.
Mr. Tanoh argued that the free SHS programme is not unique to the NPP since it was an idea projected by the Convention People’s Party (CPP).
“…Don’t forget that this free education is a CPP progressive slogan that the NPP has adopted. And in adopting it they’ve forgotten that it’s much more than a slogan. It’s a real deal, it affects the lives of people and you must plan it well and execute it efficiently,” he added.
NDC presidential race
The NDC has slated December 7, 2018, for the election of its flagbearer for the 2020 presidential election.
According to General Secretary of the NDC, Johnson Asiedu Nketia, about six people have so far expressed interest in leading the party in the next election.
Apart from Goosie Tanoh, other members of the NDC who have shown interest in vying for the party’s presidential slot includes, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Sylvester Mensah, Dr. Ekwow Spio Garbrah; a former Trade and Industry Minister; Former Vice Chancellor of the University for Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA), Prof. Joshua Alabi and Cape Coast South MP, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan.
Former President John Dramani Mahama is also expected to officially announce his bid today, Thursday, August 23, 2018.
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By: Godwin Akweiteh Allotey/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin
The post NDC can make ‘struggling’ free SHS better – Goosie Tanoh appeared first on Citi Newsroom.
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