The Ministry of Education has praised the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for promoting government’s Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy in the United States of America.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu, speaking at the University of Memphis on May 6, 2022, as part of his trip to the US to participate in the ‘Memphis In May’ festivities, said “the current government has introduced free education up to senior high school, which now ensures that all Ghanaian children from whatever background are guaranteed free education.”
“Considering the value to the nation, this must be one of the boldest policies of the nation but it also brings its challenges. It puts a huge strain on the national budget and raises further the challenge about the creation of jobs for the increasing number of graduates.”
And, in the view of Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, the Asantehene could have spoken about many things, because he had done many things.
“He has done something that makes me glad and heartened, he took Ghana to the international space, when he was asked to speak to international global audience, he chose to talk about government’s FSHS and talked about the boldest attempt by any government to transform their people through the policy”
Dr Adutwum intoned,” I want to commend him, I want to thank him for the good job done, putting Ghana and FSHS on the world map.”
He was interacting with the media after a meeting with the Heads of the Category ‘A’ Schools across the country at the Kumasi Anglican Senior High School, on Saturday.
The meeting discussed among many, affiliations of category ‘A’ schools with the less endowed schools, ensuring similar school rankings.
Dr Adutwum charged the category ‘A’ schools to document their best practices that could be shared with the less endowed schools.
He mentioned the government’s determination to tackle the challenges of the schools, such as lack of furniture, delays in the supply of food items, to ensure the best in the education sector.
President of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), Alhaji Yacoub Abubakari, told newsmen the schools had made the Ministry aware of the many challenges and the meeting was beneficial and hoped the government would walk its talk.
“The Education Minister has given us every assurance that they have started addressing some of the challenges and with the emphasis made, they would expedite action in ensuring issues are addressed moving on”.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
