By Maxwell Awumah
Ho, Nov 1, GNA-Mr. Richard Ahiagbah, National Communication Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has passionately appealed to Ghanaians to vote massively to renew the mandate of the party to continue with the Free Senior High School (FSHS) flagship programme.
He said anything short of victory for the party in the December polls could result in the cancellation of the Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy.
He said the pronouncements by the Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. John Mahama, and his body language attested to a review, which would not inure to the continuation of the policy.
He said the reality is that the investment that is being committed into the establishment and implementation of the FSHS, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) are humongous and could only be implemented perfectly by the originators of the policy.
He recounted the pronouncements of former President Mahama saying if he had GHC2 Billion to invest, not on Free SHS.
Mr. Ahiagbah said the NDC, and its agents sponsored some 40 adverts against the Free SHS and considers it “419 Scam,” adding that, Mr. Mahama will kill the FSHS, plain and simple.
He insisted that the NDC Administration, under Mr. Mahama established Progressive “Fee Paying” Senior High School, which is different from FSHS, established by President Akufo-Addo’s government.
The Director of Communication made these statements during an encounter with a section of journalists, in Ho.
He said: “Volta region cannot deny itself this unprecedented access policy that has removed the cost barrier to education.”
He said apart from lifting the financial burden, there’s gender parity, with the Volta region attaining a record 35.1 per cent increase in enrolment from the policy.
He said the region has benefited from the FSHS policy and part of the 5.7 million beneficiaries nationally.
Mr. Ahiagbah said the FSHS has been a game-changer and will remain so only when NPP continues in power as their opponents are scared of investment in the sector.
He acknowledged that the FSHS is a gateway to making teaching and learning outcomes compactible to a 21st Century need of Ghanaians saying, “leadership is key to the implementation of the policy for results.”
GNA