Minister of Education, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, has said the Free SHS Graduates Association being inaugurated across the country will become one of the most formidable wings of the NPP in few years to come.

“We want the Free SHS Graduates Association to become one of the most formidable wings of NPP in few years to come to contribute to better governance of this country”.

Mr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh said this Thursday when he inaugurated the Eastern regional chapter of the association, which consists of beneficiaries of the government’s flagship education program.

The event was attended by hundreds of first batch beneficiaries of the policy who recently completed school.

They were bused from various Districts in the region to march on the streets of Koforidua hoisting various placards, some shading opposition leader John Mahama.

They then converged at the Cultural Center where the inauguration ceremony was held.

The Education Minister urged the beneficiaries to vote for President Akufo-Addo to help safeguard the policy to enable their younger brothers and sisters to continuously enjoy the policy.

He said government will from December 1, 2020, open a scholarship application portal for all to apply for scholarship packages to attend tertiary education.

He assured “automatic scholarship for students in rural areas who passed very well like master Thomas Amoani of Asuaba near Adeiso in Eastern region who obtained grade ‘A1’ in all eight subjects”.

He also revealed to the free SHS beneficiaries that government has in addition made it more flexible for students to access student loans by removing the guarantor system which was a major hindrance.

Free SHS debate

The Free Senior High School policy has taken centre stage of the campaign few days to the election.

President Akufo-Addo on Wednesday said he is shocked by claims by former President John Mahama that he introduced the Free SHS policy in Ghana.

“I heard something yesterday that really shocked me. Do you remember my opponent [John Mahama] said I was deceiving Ghanaians when I said I will implement Free SHS if I win the election? He said I was looking for votes that is why I am making the promise of implementing Free SHS. He even said if he has 2 Billion cedis, he will not pay school fees with but will do some more profitable,” President Akufo-Addo said.

“Today he [John Mahama] says he brought Free SHS, how possible. It is unacceptable that a whole former President would seek to come back to office based on lies and disinformation. All his false claims are premised on the fact that his campaign is crushing on him” President Akufo-Addo further observed while he addressed traders and drivers at the Odokor Market in a whistle-stop as part of day two of his two-day campaign tour of the Greater Accra Region.

The Free SHS policy was a flagship campaign promised of the then Akufo-Addo campaign ahead of the 7th December 2016 general elections.

President Mahama led NDC which poo-pooed the Policy but later in 2015 implemented progressively free SHS.

However, President Akufo-Addo upon assumption of office in 2017 introduced wholesale Free Senior High School for all secondary school children public schools.