The General Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party John Boadu has extolled the Free Senior High School programme introduced by President Akufo-Addo, saying presently Junior High School leavers no more find themselves in an apprenticeship as it used to be in the past.

From September 2019, all students from SHS 1 to SHS 3 are beneficiaries of the Free Senior High School policy, introduced and implemented in 2017.

Currently, a total of 1.2 million children are being enrolled in our High Schools across the country under the policy, making it the largest number of students so enrolled in Ghana’s history.

Speaking during the commissioning of an ultra-modern office complex for the NPP in the Nkoranza North constituency of the Bono East Region, John Boadu stated that thanks to the Free SHS programme currently apprentices are at least SHS leavers with an appreciable level of education.

“Today, under President Akufo Addo we have the Free SHS programme where the children of the rich and poor all enroll in senior high schools for free. In the first year of the programme over 90,000 students enrolled. In the second year, over 150,000 students enrolled that alone adds up to over 240,000 students who would otherwise be idling not enrolling in school. This number is minus 2019 intake.”

John Boadu added: “Today if you ask artisans they’ll tell you that they no more have Junior High School graduates learning apprenticeship. Now, the minimum level of education an apprentice is Senior High School School."

"If it is auto mechanic, tailoring, masonry they’re going to learn because they have an appreciable level of education, they don’t struggle at all to learn and after learning they are able to do very quality work thanks to the Free SHS programme for which President Akufo Addo must be commended.