Achimota Speaks: Bipartisan assessment needed for Free SHS policy – MOBA Ebusuapanyin

Moses Kwesi Baiden Jr., the elected Ebusuapanyin of the Mfantsipim Old Boys Association (MOBA), has advocated for a bipartisan evaluation of the Free SHS Policy to enhance its effectiveness.

In his address at the 2024 edition of Achimota Speaks, held at the British Council under the theme “Exploring models of autonomy in Ghana’s secondary education” on Thursday, March 21, 2024, Baiden Jr. emphasized the constitutional significance of the policy and its role in boosting enrollment in secondary institutions nationwide since its inception.

However, he cautioned that without necessary improvements, the policy might not achieve its desired outcomes.

While commending the government for initiating the Free SHS Policy, Baiden Jr. stressed the importance of a bipartisan and inclusive assessment involving all stakeholders to ensure enhanced outcomes.

“The introduction of free SHS is a constitutional imperative and we must applaud the government for the increased enrolment of students, who would have otherwise missed out on senior high school education.

“However, there is a need for critical assessment and a bipartisan dialogue to continually enhance educational policies and improve their outcomes, believing that there is nothing in this world that cannot be improved. Education must as much as possible be free, as much as the government can afford it. But when required, there can be a collaboration between public, private, civil society, NGOs and churches to improve outcomes based on international benchmarks.

“So, all schools can have various kinds of autonomy but not to discover with all this autonomies are beneficial. We have to look at the ultimate objective, what sought of autonomy and for what objective” he added.

Meanwhile, the President of the Old Achimota Association (OAA), Joel E. Nettey also called on stakeholders in the education sector, including the Ghana Education Service (GES), to work together to address the challenges currently being faced by the second cycle institutions.

He added that the second cycle should be made autonomous to solve the challenges that befall them.

“The GES is currently playing a player and referee in this game. Because they are setting policy and they are making decisions in management. Even though there are at least two reps on every board of senior high schools from GES, the board cannot make any decisions. They still have to refer the decision back to GES, what is the point?

“Discipline is going down. This weekend we saw off a former headmaster of Achimota School, Akora R. W. Aseidu, and the tribute said that he brought discipline into Achimota School as far as both students and teachers were concerned. Today, regardless of what which student does, regardless of whether a particular teacher is a known absentee teacher, the board cannot take action on it.

“When I have spoken about autonomy, people have said it will cause a class system. I am sure Moses will disabuse our minds, But truth be told, we can have an autonomous system of management that will make people pay, if that is what we decide, but still leaves a quota who will otherwise not be able to afford it.

“There are ways around it, the important is to bring our minds to the table and have a conversation. Being stubborn and being stuck in the rot and saying we are going this way and we are going there spells doom day comes, just doesn’t make sense,” he stated.

The post Achimota Speaks: Bipartisan assessment needed for Free SHS policy – MOBA Ebusuapanyin appeared first on Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana.

Read Full Story